Teenage Dirtbag
by rowanred81
Summary: Winning prompt from lilphatsoul. Was *supposed* to be a one-shot, but that isn't going to happen. It's July 2012 and Chloe is left alone while everyone else goes on vacation. Drunk and lonely, she sends a text to the one person she's forbidden herself from talking to - Max Caulfield. Hijinks, fluff, hilarity, and law-breaking ensue. Exclusively from a Chloe-centric perspective.
1. Chapter 1

**Teenage Dirtbag**

 **Part One – History Speaks**

 **Song by Deep Sea Diver**

 **July 13, 2012**

Chloe Price was in Hell, but she was drunk so it wasn't _too_ hellish. Waking up at round 9am, she had promptly covered her head with a pillow and let out a curse to the world. _Everyone leaves_ , Chloe thought to herself as she pondered the silence in her house. For the next two weeks it _was_ her house and hers alone; Joyce was on a vacation to David's hometown in Arkansas. Chloe had been invited only to swiftly decline. _One douchebag is enough; I can't imagine generations of douches, let alone miniaturized little fuckers. Hella terrifying._

"Fuck," Chloe's voice muffled by the pillow, "FUCK FUCK _FUCK!_ "

She was alone for the next two weeks from her family, and while that wasn't too bad what made it worse was that her guardian angel Rachel Amber was away for the entire summer. Backpacking through the Rockies and Appalachians with her family, Rachel had been sending her weekly postcards until a few weeks ago. Chloe knew that Rachel probably had her reasons but she couldn't help the encroaching sense of abandonment. This wasn't the first time she had felt this way. _Everybody leaves me_ , Chloe thought sullenly as she forced herself out of bed.

The bowl of cereal wasn't enough for Chloe as she flopped onto the old couch in their living room. The money that David had reluctantly left Chloe for groceries was almost a joke to Chloe, like the opposite of a ransom. _We're going away, so here's some money to keep you away. Yeah, well fuck you right back. Asshole._ Watching an old DVD of _The_ _Ren & Stimpy Show_, Chloe's eyes wandered over to the garage with an impish gleam. Setting the half-eaten breakfast down, Chloe hoisted herself up and stretched as she padded over to what she thought of as the "Douche Cave" in search of some fun.

"I know you're here somewhere," Chloe muttered to herself as she searched her stepfather's belongings, "You will be mine. Oh yes, you will be mine. Ah- _ha_! Chloe Price for the win!"

Chloe hoisted the 12-pack of beer in triumph before crying out as the bottom of the cardboard gave way. Managing to save some of the precious alcohol, Chloe came back to the living room with four cans of beer and a smirk on her face at the mess left behind. Setting three of the cans next to her cereal, Chloe ran a hand through her freshly-dyed blue hair as she sipped at her brew while perusing the shelf where the Price family kept their movies.

"Boring, no, hella _no_ , nope, nuh-uh," Chloe rattled off as she searched through the meager collection before noticing a dusty case in the far back. Reaching behind the row of movies, Chloe grunted as her fingertips reached the dust-covered case and drew it out. "Holy fuck! _Invader Zim_? When did we-"

Chloe opened the case, but already knew the answer to her unfinished question. Downing the beer in a couple of chugs, Chloe felt she would need the alcohol to steady her nerves when her hands started to shake. Seeing the disc gleaming in a pale reflection of the sunlight from outside, Chloe bit her lip as she scanned the scribble on the disc's surface.

 _Property of Chloe and Max. Do not touch! Ever!_

"Fuck." Chloe dropped the case and watched the disc come popping out as it trailed a foot or two on its edge before dropping. The pang of sadness gave way to an instant of anger and Chloe raised her foot to smash the disc when she saw herself reflected in its surface.

Max had been gone for four years and the wound still felt fresh at times. Leaving only a few weeks after Chloe's father had died, Max had been in tears when they last saw each other. In a fit of pain and anger, Chloe had lashed out at her then-best friend and told her that if she was leaving to not bother ever coming back or calling her. Max had met that wish with radio silence ever since, never calling or writing. Chloe only grew more conflicted with each reminder of the absent place inside of her where Max had been, bitterness mixed with a longing to see the freckled smile that she missed so much.

"It's not fair," Chloe whispered to herself as she picked the disc up from the floor. She had said those words on many occasions but this instance was an echo for Chloe from four years ago. _I feel sick, I feel lonely. Why did you have to go, Max? You left me here, you fucking left me_! Letting out a guttural scream, Chloe threw the disc and watched it slap against the wall without breaking. She couldn't destroy the past if she tried, and Chloe _had_ tried. Scars on her wrists, scars on her inner thighs, piercings, and tattoos couldn't eradicate the sad girl left to herself as the only girl she had ever loved drove away to what might as well have been another country.

Wiping tears from her eyes, Chloe cursed at her own weakness and grabbed the other beers as she went back upstairs to sulk. Blaring a mix CD of NOFX, Bikini Kill, and Slipknot, Chloe made it her mission that day to get as drunk as she possibly could. Drinking her remaining beers in succession, Chloe paid no attention to time as she followed up the brews with a raid on her mother's wine and a half-empty flask of hooch that Rachel had left behind. Chloe didn't care if she passed out or if she got sick. All she wanted to feel was numb as Max Caulfield wormed her way into Chloe's thoughts over and over. Not realizing that she was frowning, Chloe put an arm over her face to shield the world from her eyes. _Fuck her. Fuck Max and fuck Rachel. Fuck this whole goddamn town!_ Chloe's internalized curses began to turn incoherent in her mind as she blessedly passed out.

The sky was dark when Chloe woke up and the music had long since stopped. Her home was silent and dark, empty save for herself and reminders of a past that Chloe didn't want anymore. Searching for her jacket, Chloe rolled onto her side and searched through a pocket until she found what she was looking for: a joint, a lighter, and another escape. The pot brought a calm as she switched the rock CD for something more suitable for smoking weed. "Santa Monica Dream" by Angus and Julia Stone played on repeat as Chloe fell back into her bed with a _whump_. Toking deep, Chloe held the smoke in her mouth before letting it out in a large smoke ring. She looked around at her room and became reflective in her thoughts as the room seemed to age in reverse before her.

Graffiti disappeared, posters vanished, and furniture both disappeared and materialized as her mind took her back to 2008. Max came running in through the door with a giggle as she brought a hand from behind her back to reveal a box of snack cakes liberated from the pantry downstairs. Chloe laughed and sat up to take the proffered goodies when a phantom hand of her younger self snatched them away as followed Max into the closet to bask in success and chocolatey goodness. Sniffling as the lightened mood gave way to a somberness, Chloe was alone again in the dark.

"Give it back," Chloe said to herself in a soft, fragile voice as she looked at the closet, " _Give her back_!"

The tears came and went in choking sobs as Chloe's head hung low with the joint long since turned to ash on the floor. _Fucking goddamn bullshit! I…I want her back, but I should hate her. Why can't I hate her? It'd be so much easier if I did…_ , Chloe thought as she grew listless and wandered through the confines of her room. Max was everywhere despite four years' worth of change. Old comics and drawings littered the floor in front of Chloe's bed as she sat on the mattress's edge and looked back in time.

"Fuck it." Her hand trembling, Chloe rolled through a partition in her contacts list that she had titled "Forbidden". Breaking her own rule as she lit a cigarette up, Chloe typed with her free hand a message to the one person in the world who could make her feel more than anyone else.

 **Chloe: Max. Max, I'm sorry. You fucking left and you left me here and I want to hate you but I can't. Where the hell are you? Why can't you just fucking be here, Goddamnit? Do you know what that did to me, what I've been through? I'm broken, and you played a part you little shit.**

 **Chloe: …I'm sorry. Please don't disappear anymore. I…I need you.**

"Fuck, what did I just do?" Chloe let out a long sigh as she tossed her phone into a pile of dirty clothes and laid back in bed with her cigarette and thoughts.

* * *

Waking up with some ash on her face and a cigarette stub hanging on her lower lip, Chloe's head pounded from the alcoholic binge of yesterday. Thinking back to the hazy memories of how the previous day transpired, Chloe rolled her eyes as she recalled how much of a mess she'd made in the garage.

"Shit. I'd better fucking clean that up. Don't fucking want to, but I hella don't need the drama," Chloe thought as she got up the same t-shirt and shorts from yesterday to make her way downstairs.

Picking up the split open cans and cardboard, Chloe eyed the area where beer funk was the strongest and shook her head. She cleaned the debris; the stench and David could fuck off as far as Chloe was concerned. Leaving the trash in one of the garbage cans outside, Chloe walked back into the house to hear her phone going off upstairs. Brow furrowing as to who could be trying to reach her at whatever too-early time it might be, Chloe saw the wall clock display 12:30pm as she broke into a fit of laughter. _Helluva fucking coma, Chloe Price. You get shitfaced with the best of 'em!_

"What a shitty thing to fucking be proud of," Chloe's self-deprecation eliciting a weak chuckle as she walked into her room. Patting her stomach as it growled with emphasis, Chloe realized that she'd only had some cereal and booze since yesterday morning. "We'll chow in a bit, you. Chill."

Chloe yanked her phone from the dirty laundry and tapped it on only to nearly drop it half a second later as she saw the notification flash "From Max". _Oh fuck. Oh holy fucking fuck._ Chloe felt her chest tighten as her anxiety peaked and her breath came in shallow gasps. Her legs buckling, Chloe cautiously made her way to the desk and took a seat in her battered chair as she pondered whether or not to look at the message. Her heart vetoing her defensiveness, Chloe tapped on the message app.

 **Max: Wowsers. Uh…hi, I guess?**

 _Dude, what the fuck?_

 **Chloe: 'Hi, I guess"? Dude, what the fuck? I was drunk. Forget what I fucking said. You hear me?! FORGET IT LIKE YOU FORGOT ME!**

Switching her phone to silent mode, Chloe dropped it on the bed and stomped to the bathroom. She smelled like beer, bad memories, and wanted to get clean in _some_ way. _I don't need this shit. Note to self: do NOT use phone when drunk. Or high. Maybe ever. Ugh!_ The water was a relief as it sprayed her in the face with a shocking iciness before turning hot. Chloe likened the shower to a baptism, washing away the dregs of yesterday to make her as shiny and new as she could feel. If she could, Chloe would flood the entire world for a fresh start.

Chloe almost felt pleasant as she got dressed after cleaning herself up. Fresh tank-top with relatively clean jeans and boots, Chloe snatched her beanie and pulled it on to complete her set of armor. Remembering that she needed body fuel, Chloe absently pocketed her phone as she walked down the stairs to make herself something to eat. _I know a thing or two about cooking. Might not be as good as Joyce, but I'm not too shabby._

One plate of eggs, bacon, and toast later left a sated Chloe sitting outside on her old swing with a cigarette in one hand and a beer pilfered from her own stash in the other. _Douche beer come first, but Chloe beer better._ _Heh, I_ do _beer better. I beer best!_ Smirking at her own humor, Chloe took a puff of her cigarette as she lazily swung. Barely high enough to get her legs out from under her, Chloe let her mind wander a bit while keeping it safely away from anything to do with Max Caulfield. _Max_ ine _Caulfield. She hated that, saying her entire first name. How the fuck do you hate your own name, nerd? Maxine…Max…Mad Max…_ fuck, _stop it!_ Wanting to distract herself, Chloe turned her phone on to check out videos on YouTube when she spied another notification from Max.

 **Max: Chloe?**

 **Max: Chloe, I couldn't forget all that if I tried. I didn't leave to fuck you over. If I remember correctly, YOU told ME to all but fuck off. Why couldn't you have told me all this years ago?! WHY?!**

"Shit. This is all from last night," Chloe said to herself in wonder as she read the emotion coming off of Max's words, "I…I must've been passed the fuck out."

 **Chloe: Max? U there?**

 **Chloe: Look. I'm not going to apologize. YOU should be the one apologizing-**

 **Chloe: No, I should. UGH, this is such a goddamn pain!**

Chloe was about to put her phone away when a new text appeared. Chloe nearly threw her phone when she saw it was from her mom.

 **Joyce: Hanging in there, Chloe?**

 **Chloe: As one does, mother dearest. As one does.**

 **Joyce: Well, Arkansas has been a disaster so far. Don't tell David, but I wish I had stayed home with you.**

 **Chloe: LMAO that'd be rich. He'd be hella butt hurt. Heh, hurt in his butt. Because gayyyyyyyyyy LMFAO**

Not getting an answer from her mom, Chloe laughed to herself at how embarrassed Joyce must be at that moment. _Oh, dude, she's probably hella red in the face and regretting texting me. That. Is. Fucking._ Price _less_. Her laughter fading into giggles, Chloe spit her cigarette out and swung in earnest as she finished off the beer she had brought outside. A fleeting moment of cheer was what she had needed, the use of her smartass humor on someone boosting Chloe's spirit. When her phone pinged once more, Chloe tapped it on with a relish only to fall out of the swing in shock as another message popped up from Max.

 **Max: Chlo? You home?**

 **Chloe: I'm here. I guess. What u want? Killing my buzz, Maxine.**

 **Max: Ouch.**

 **Max: Um, "knock knock"?**

 **Chloe: WTF? A joke?**

 **Max: Listen. Knock. Knock.**

Chloe had no clue what the hell Max was talking about when she heard something from inside the house. Looking down at her phone as "Knock Knock" was messaged to her repeatedly, Chloe felt as though the world was falling out from under her. _Is she…? Is Max here…?_ Chloe received her answer in the form of a pair of hands grabbing the top of the fence was set around the backyard. Looking from across the yard, Chloe thought the world was slowing down as the hands turned into a mop of brunette hair before a familiar set of eyes and freckles peered over the fence.

"Oh my God," Chloe heard the words escape her lips but everything felt numb as the girl she was watching hoisted herself up and over the fence. Brushing at her jeans, the girl looked up at her with an awkward smile.

"Surprise…?" Max said with a shrug as she clutched at her arm.

Chloe looked the girl over as she made her way towards the swing in slow, methodical steps. Chloe tried to reconcile her memory of Max with the girl approaching her and could make out enough that her mind began to function once more. Shoulder-length chestnut hair, the same eyes and freckles she remembered, Max was sporting a pink tank-top with "Jane" and a deer on the front along with torn blue jeans and Chuck Taylors. A pair of sunglasses sticking out of a hip pocket and her phone making a bulge in the other, Max looked like a figment of Chloe's imagination as she closed the distance between them.

"You…you can't be here," Chloe said, both girls uncertain of what she meant by the statement, "That is, I mean…what the fuck are you doing here, Max?"

"I've come for you, Chloe Price," Max said with a smirk before reaching out a hand, "Come with me if you want to live."

"Really? A _Terminator 2_ reference?" Chloe's instincts said to stop smiling, but her heart yearned to take the delicate little hand offered to her. Hesitant, as though Max's touch might burn her, Chloe held her hand in mid-air. Max reached a little further and grasped the blue-nailed hand before pulling the bluenette to her feet. "I can't believe you're here. You're really here?"

"Really really," Max said as held onto Chloe's hand, both girls blushing at the suddenness of their contact after four years being apart, "Hey, come with me. For cereal, Chlo."

"Wow, that's a fucking blast from the past." Chloe was still in shock as Max led them back into the house and up to Chloe's room. Chloe was so blown away by Max's sudden appearance that she hardly cared that Max was in her room. It was only when Max started going through her clothes that Chloe snapped out of her fugue state. "What are you doing?"

"Packing. You got a suitcase or a duffel bag?"

"Uh, what?" Chloe's dazed expression and tone caught Max's attention and the brunette sat herself on the bed. Running a hand through her hair, Max patted the spot next to her and Chloe ambled over with leaden feet.

"I may have disappeared, Chloe," Max began, her words careful and measured as though she had rehearsed this conversation, "but you _pushed_ me away. I've…I've been waiting, _hoping_ , to hear from you."

"…You have?" _She missed me. After everything, she missed me. Look at her, Chloe. She's been crying, her eyes are so puffy and red. Jesus, she's really here. My Max._ "I mean, 'course you have. I _am_ hella fucking cool."

"Like ice, maybe."

"Ouch."

"You fucking started it."

"Watch the goddamn language, Max Caulfield!"

"Shit, I'm sorry! Oh, Jesus fuck I can't stop! Hell!" Both girls giggled as they recalled the same memory from when they'd been kids.

 _"Max, I dare you!"_

 _"Chloe! We're_ in the mall _!"_

 _"…penis…"_

 _"No, Che."_

 _"…peee-niss…"_

 _"…pee-pee…", Max whispered before getting an elbow to the side and a look from Chloe that urged her on, "Ugh, fine. Penis."_

 _"Penis."_

 _"PENIS!" Max yelled, blushing instantly as everyone in earshot spun around to look at the diminutive 13 year-old as Chloe's jaw dropped._

"…penis…?" Chloe asked, smirking as Max's head snapped around to stare at her with widened eyes.

"That was horrible, Chloe! Honest to Dog, I was _so_ embarrassed! Fucking Penis Game!" Max's face turned red and Chloe couldn't help but laugh at the bashful girl sitting next to her.

"You're the one who _yelled_ , dude! _I_ sure as hell didn't!"

"You egged me on."

"Uh-huh.

"You _did_ , so stop!" Max elbowed Chloe in the ribs and the bluenette's fit of hysterical giggles was cut off in mid-chuckle.

"Soooo…why the clothes? Why _my_ clothes, Max?" Chloe's switch to a serious tone resulted in Max's mirth lessening, a wide smile turning into a shy grin as the brunette looked away bashfully. _Oh, no you don't._ Chloe gingerly put a hand on Max's shoulder, as though the touch might cause Max to fade away like the night before.

"I-I want to take you back to Seattle. For the weekend, if you want. My-my parents are-" Max managed to get out before a gleeful shriek escaped Chloe as the beanie-clad girl bowled her old friend over in an elated hug.

"You're getting me the fuck outta here? Hella hardcore, Caulfield! You're breaking me out of jail?!" Chloe said with a twinkle in her eye as she loomed over Max, faces only inches apart. Seeing Max's eyes water, Chloe thought she might have hurt the smaller girl when Max suddenly lifted her head toward her.

The first kiss was a shock to Chloe, Max's lips quick and daring as the brunette pulled away almost as quickly as she had moved forward. When Chloe's face turned to one of shock, Max blushed and looked away for a moment as though in thought. Chloe was muted, inside and out, the sudden touch hitting her like a current of electricity. _Did she just…did she just…?_ Chloe's question was answered by Max's head turning back up to her with tears streaming down freckled cheeks. Letting out a ragged breath, Max moved her head up more slowly as both girls closed their eyes.

The second kiss was mutual, both girls exploring the unknown that was the other person's lips and tongue as Chloe let herself down until she was laying on the smaller girl. Feeling one of Max's hands in her hair with the other resting on a hip, Chloe felt connected to an energy she'd never experienced. She had been with girls before, as well as with a boy or two, but this was _Max Caulfield_ and Chloe's heart threatened to overwhelm her as she began to cry as well. No sobbing, no sniffling; Chloe's tears simply came and mixed with the taste of Max as they spilled down her face. _She's kissing me and I'm alive again. She's come for me, she's waited for me. She_ waited. _For me. Oh…oh_ fuck _…_

"Max…Max, wait," Chloe uttered in a hushed voice as she pulled herself up with a pained look, Max having removed her hands in response to Chloe removing herself. "This is…"

"I-It's too much, too soon. I'm…I'm sorry…" Max's tone was cheerless as she saw the pain in Chloe's eyes, "I…do you not want me here?"

"No! I mean, of course I want you here. Max…it's just… _fuck_. You're so…so hardcore right now. I don't know if I can process all this…" Chloe sat up, straddling Max as the brunette propped herself up by the elbows. Biting her lip, Chloe weighed the next few days with Max in Seattle and realized she needed this. "Fuck it."

Chloe wrapped her legs around Max's waist as she pulled the brunette up for another kiss. Max was her world for the next few days, and Chloe wanted to explore as much as she could. _If this is fleeting, if it's temporary, then I'm going to hella make as much of it as I fucking can._

* * *

Chloe didn't even care about Seattle as she reclined in the passenger seat of Max's old Jeep Wrangler TJ. The soft top pulled back, the fringe of her blue locks sticking out of the beanie blew around as Max shot down the highway. Steering with one hand, holding Chloe's hand with the other, Max would sneak looks over at her that only inspired Chloe to lean over and kiss her each time. _This is so fucking amazeballs!_ Chloe thought as she giggled intermittently at how happy she was feeling. For the first time in what felt like years, Chloe felt genuine happiness. Even if it was only for a weekend, Chloe didn't give a shit. She was with Max and they were off to Seattle for fun and mischief.

"This is so fucking _amazeballs_!" Chloe crowed as her face split into a heart-stopping grin, the smile only growing as Max chuckled in response to Chloe's proclamation. Chloe looked over at Max, the brunette wearing her shades, and bit at her lower lip as she wondered what Max's eyes were giving away under the dark lenses. "Whatcha thinkin'?"

"That 'amazeballs' is just as old to me as 'for cereal' is for you, Che," Max said as Chloe smiled at the use of Max's private nickname for her, "I mean…wowsers, right?"

"Yes, Max. Epic fucking wowsers. Wowsers to the nth degree. So, how'd you score these wheels? You got my old truck beat cold, dude. Spill."

"Well, this is my dad's old work car from when we still lived…" Max halted her sentence, afraid of disturbing Chloe's mood. Picking up on the reason for Max's hesitation, Chloe poked her friend in the side with a finger. "Well, when we still lived in Arcadia Bay. He still drove it for a while, but he eventually just carpooled with my mom. When I turned sixteen last year, I got the keys. I also got the insurance payments, but she's mine for all intents and purposes."

" _She_?" Chloe's smirk eliciting a groan from Max, the bluenette giggled as Max patted the dash like her ride was a puppy.

" _Her_ name is 'Gir', Chloe Elizabeth Price," Max teased in a chastising tone, "She's the wheels under your feet so respect, dork."

Chloe let out a sharp laugh as the memory of the _Invader Zim_ DVD came to her mind. _Dude, it feels like destiny or some bullshit like that. Holy fuck. We're fated, Max, we're hella fated._ Squeezing Max's hand a little more tightly, Max turned her head to flash Chloe a smile before returning her attention to the road.

"I missed you, Maxaroni," Chloe said, her voice growing weak as she blushed, "I hardcore missed you, dude."

"I _hella_ missed you, Che. I'm…I'm really glad you messaged me. Even if it was some kind of drunk dial/high dial hybrid."

"Shittyness and all?" Chloe's slight worry was answered by a kiss on the hand that Max held.

"I don't think I would have been so quick if you were mushy. Besides, I'd take you no matter how you are. You're _you,_ y'know? And you're here, so shush. You're in my car and we're heading to Seattle. That's your answer." Max's answer satisfying her, Chloe leaned back into seat once more before nodding off. Whenever Chloe began to stir or whimper in her sleep, Max would bring the bluenette down with a gentle squeeze of her hand and receive a faint smile from Chloe in return.

* * *

The Caulfields resided in the top floor of a renovated brownstone in downtown Seattle. Pulling into the parking lot across the street, Max steered the jeep into its assigned parking space as Chloe began to wake up. Rubbing at her eyes, Chloe looked up at the evening sky and shivered a bit before looking down at the space between her and Max. _She held my hand the entire way. Too cute, you little nerd._ A sleepy grin on her face, Chloe leaned over to give Max a kiss on the cheek as the brunette put the jeep in park before shutting it off.

Turning around to face Chloe, Max leaned over to give Chloe a gentle kiss on the lips before pulling away to hop out of her vehicle. Hearing "C'mon, sleepy-ass!" from Max as she hefted the suitcase out of the back, Chloe slid out of Max's ride and took her luggage from the cheerful brunette. Crossing the street hurriedly to avoid traffic, Chloe looked up in awe at how nice Max's place was.

"Dude, this is like that show _Elementary_ or something. Brownstones are pretty cool. You don't have epic tattoos or anything, do you?" Chloe asked, hesitant about wanting to hear an answer. _That Sherlock_ is _kinda fucked up, though. Not sure a recovering addict Max is what I need right now, heh._

"Like this?" Max grinned as she pulled the bottom of her tank-top up to show a vine with roses start at her waistline and trail up her side. "My mom nearly killed my dad, but it was totally worth it. Cool, right?"

"Dude, how did _you_ manage that? You used to cry from papercuts, and tattoos on the ribcage hurt like something hella fierce!" Chloe reached a hand out, looking to Max for permission before tracing the tattoo on her friend. _Holy fuck, Max. Who the hell have you become after four years? Tattoos, kisses, amazeballs…you're something hella epic, Maxaroni._ Seeing Max look at her with a bemused expression, Chloe realized that she must have been staring too long. Blushing, Chloe pulled her beanie off and scratched at her head while laughing nervously. "Uh, s'cool. I guess."

"Smooth you are _not_ , Chloe," Max chided before jerking her head toward the open door. "C'mon. I'm tired and hungry. I need foodstuffs, and I'm assuming you could use a bite to eat."

"Feed me, give me shelter and attention. Am I pet or something?" Chloe joked as she dragged her suitcase up the stairs to the floor occupied by Max and her parents.

"Sit, Chlo-Chlo. Bad girl, I said sit!" Max joked in return, not turning to look at Chloe as she unlocked the door. "Stay."

"Uh, no?"

" _Fine_. Come in if you must. _Mi casa es tu casa_."

The living room was a little bigger than Chloe's, a flat-panel television occupying a corner between the wall and a window with a sound system perched underneath on the TV stand's only shelf. Pictures hung on the walls, carpet on the hardwood floors, Chloe thought that Max must be living the high life and couldn't help the mild pang of jealousy as she was led through the dining area and kitchen. Going past the kitchen, Max led Chloe down to a door at the end of a hallway before spinning around to look the bluenette in the eye.

"Last stop. Do you wish to proceed?"

"Permission to enter, Cap'n Max?"

"When did I get promoted?"

"Your digs, you're the captain. I'll be your first mate."

"Well, then," Max said before opening the door, "Enter all hope, ye who enter here. C'mon."

Chloe was surprised. Max's room being roughly the size of her own, Chloe dropped her suitcase next to the open door and began to explore as Max headed into a walk-in closet while complaining about feeling gross after so long a drive. _Wow. What a nerd_ , Chloe thought as she eyed the wall decorated from floor to ceiling in Polaroids and other photos.

Promising herself that she would check the pictures out later, Chloe examined the rest of Max's room with a definitive interest. Illuminated by a series of lamps shaped like old-school lanterns, Max's queen-size bed took up a corner of the room while a simple desk took up a space by the door. Movie and anime posters decorating the wall opposite all the photos, Chloe smiled as she had watched all of them as well. _We watched half of these together before she left_ , Chloe thought before seeing Max resurface from her closet in fresh clothes.

"Food?" Max asked, patting her belly.

"Pizza?" Chloe asked, smiling as she batted her eyes at the grinning brunette.

"Sure."

Max walked over to her laptop and powered the computer up. Chloe walking up to the desk, she leaned over Max's shoulder to try and spy what was on her friend's computer only to huff at the internet browser obscuring the entire screen. _No fun_ , Chloe thought as she watched Max click on a bookmarked pizza place.

"Pagliacci's?" Chloe asked.

"Best pizza I've had," Max answered, "What you feeling up for?"

"Uh, cheese?"

"You for cereal, Che?" Max asked, getting a shrug from Chloe before turning back to the laptop, "Okay. One original, one verde primo."

"What's on the verde primo?"

"Artichoke hearts, mushrooms, pesto, goat cheese, garlic and mozzarella."

"…What the fuck?"

"It's _good_ , Che, so you be quiet. There," Max said as she dramatically finished the order, "All done. Be about a half-hour, though."

"Hey. Where's your folks, dude?" Chloe asked, realizing that she and Max were alone.

"Vacation."

"For real?" _Whoa. Fated, I fucking swear._

"Fo' cereal. C'mon."

Grabbing a cloth pencil bag first, Max walked out into the hall and gestured for Chloe to join her. Shrugging and more than a little curious, Chloe felt her heart race as Max took her hand and pulled her along to a balcony in the back of their place. Feeling the brisk air, Chloe rubbed at her bare arms for a moment before Max joined her with a jacket. _It's a little small, Maxaroni_ , Chloe thought as the sleeves came up to above her wrists. Chloe looked over to see Max staring. Frowning, Chloe traced Max's line of sight and saw that the thin line on her wrist was in perfect view.

"Shit," Chloe grunted as she crossed her arms and looked away from Max. "Look, Max. I went through…well, I went through some really bad times. Things got pretty dark. I…I don't want to talk about it this weekend. I just want to enjoy my time with you."

"You don't have to talk about it, Che," Max's reply quick as her head jerked to look away from Chloe, "Just…I'm just glad you're here."

"Me, too. So, why did you bring a pencil bag out here? You gonna draw on my face or something?" Chloe asked only for her jaw to drop as Max produced two joints, "Dude. You…fucking…bake?!"

"Why wouldn't I? I _am_ an 'artiste', after all. S'good for my anxiety problems." Max giggled, only making Chloe's eyes light up even further as the brunette pulled out an MMJ card. "Prescribed and everything. It isn't much, but it calms me so I don't get attacks as often."

"Attacks?"

"Panic attacks, anxiety attacks," Max rattled off as she lit a joint and put it in her mouth, "I hyperventilate and pass out, usually. Sometimes my nose will bleed. Here."

Taking a puff from her joint, Max blew the smoke out her nose after a moment before she lit the other joint with her own and passed the unsmoked doobie to Chloe. Chloe lifted it to her lips and paused as her brow furrowed.

"If this is medicinal then won't you need it?" Chloe asked as she tried to hand the joint back only to get rebuffed by Max waving a hand at her.

"I…I've got other means. My parents know about the prescribed stuff, but not about my stash. I'm a 'good girl', after all."

"Evidently not _that_ good."

"Hey!" Max slapped Chloe's arm and feigned a wounded look before toking as she leaned over the balcony railing. "You're a butt."

"I am _not_!" Chloe retorted only to bust up laughing, "Dude, you haven't called me that in a long-ass time. Like, hella long."

"I stopped because you didn't like it."

"Then why start now?" _I'm not a butt. You're a hella butt, you butt._

"Because," Max said, a corner of her mouth turning upwards as she looked at Chloe from the corner of her eye before letting out a sigh of relief. "Dog, I needed that. Really needed."

Hearing a phone chirp, Chloe looked over from her own respite of staring into space to see Max pull out her phone and smirk as she typed away. _This_ is _her world_ , Chloe thought with a sigh, _I'm just a visitor. Need to make this weekend count. Something to remember and hold onto. Let the old shit stay old._ Peering over at her, Chloe caught Max's attention and the brunette stuck out her tongue before wrapping up whatever she was doing.

"No peeking!" Max let out as she finished up her bud, checking her phone as it chirped once more. "Ooh, pizza's here!"

Watching Max head back inside, Chloe took a long drag at her joint and looked at it as she thought that only two days ago she'd been complaining about Max and being left behind.

"You drive home, make out with me, and bring my ass up here," Chloe said as she looked back to see Max collecting their pizzas at the door with a cheerful smile, "You toke, cuss, and you're sure as fuck not shy with me. You grew up amazeballs, Max."

Heading back inside, Chloe shut the sliding door only to catch a whiff of the pizzas. Her stomach cramping from the incredible lack of food she had failed to provide, Chloe walked over to the kitchen and eyed what she knew to be her pizza sitting on the kitchen's island counter. Wafting the opened box under her nose, Chloe grabbed the pepper shaker and brought it with her as Max sat down in the living room. Sliding up to Max on the couch, Chloe mumbled "Thanks" as she gave Max a light kiss before dousing her pizza in black pepper. Hearing Max giggle as she spiced her pizza up, Chloe quirked an eyebrow and glanced over at the oddity that was Max's pizza. _Artichoke and_ goat _cheese_? _Fucking weirdo_. Chloe shook her head in amusement as Max's eyes rolled back while taking a bite of pizza.

"That looks hella gross, Max."

"Says the girl with a plain cheese pizza. _Bor-ing_ ," Max said with a mouthful of pizza.

"I am a guest, Max Caulfield. Respect!"

"I am your landlord for the weekend. Bow," Max said, licking the pizza sauce from her fingers before snapping her head up, "Shit! I forgot, I was so hungry! Drink?"

"Drink!" Chloe toasted with her slice of pizza.

Chloe ate away at her pizza, amused at her own hunger as half the small pizza disappeared while Max was gone. _Heh. Om non nom_ , Chloe thought as she patted her belly and pushed it out to look like a small gut. Arcadia Bay and all of the drama associated with her hometown disappeared from her thoughts as she reclined into the leather couch, closing her eyes and bringing her knees up to her chest. _I could fall asleep right now and dream hella sweet dreams. This is fucking wonderful._

"Wake up, dingus." Max's voice pulled Chloe out of her thoughts as the bluenette opened her eyes and eyed the mug sitting on the table next to her pizza. _Smells like…apple juice…? No, it smells like…_

"Is this hard cider?" Chloe asked as she sniffed at the contents of her mug. "No, there's something else. What…hmm…"

"Give?"

"…Yeah, I surrender. What's in the mug?!" Chloe asked, trying to do an impression of Brad Pitt's tone in _Seven_ as he asked " _What's in the box?!"_ and getting a chuckle out of Max as her reward.

"It's a can of hard cider and two shots of cinnamon schnapps," Max said as she sipped at her mug, "It's called a 'Golden Apple'."

"Get me high _and_ drunk, as well as feed me pizza?" Chloe asked as she set her mug down, eyeing the food and drink as well as Max, "What are you up to, Max Caulfield?"

"The night is young, Chloe." Max's voice became breathy and low as she took a long drink of her Golden Apple and leaned over to kiss Chloe.

 _Whoa_ was Chloe's sole thought as her mind gave way to the fiery, spiced lips and tongue connecting to her. Meeting Max's tongue with her own, their lips crashed together and moved in sync as Max quickly set her mug down and took Chloe's face in her hands. Meeting Max move for move, Chloe pulled Max closer by latching onto a handful of brunette hair. _Arcadia Bay was a surprise, but you have no surprises left when it comes to kissing. Student, meet the Master._ Hearing Max moan as she grabbed a handful of the brunette's shirt to pull her closer, Chloe grinned as they kissed when she fell back onto the couch and Max climbed on top of her. The idea of this being only for the weekend came unwanted to Chloe's thoughts and she let out a slight groan that only made her groan again as Max pulled away a bit from the noise. _Fuck! Brain, you totally suck!_

"Hey," Chloe said as she played with the Max's shirt, the brunette now sitting up on top of Chloe, "C'mere."

"What's in it for me? And why are you pouting?" Max asked, running her hands underneath Chloe's shirt as she felt the bluenette's smooth skin.

"Well. One, _I'm_ in it for you. Two? I-I just don't want this to end…"

"Then why'd you stop, Che?" Max's look of concern intensified into a slight pout and Chloe felt her last defenses crash to the depths of her mind. _Don't give me that look, Max. I fucking melt at that face, you know that. Shit. That's why you're doing it. Goddamnit, Max._

"You know what I mean, hippie. I…I _need_ you to be with me."

"I know what you mean."

"You do?"

"Chloe, there hasn't been anyone that could hold up to you. You were trying to sneak a peek at my computer when I was ordering food, right? Let me tell you in advance that my wallpaper is of us from our last Halloween together. The one with us smiling so brightly as we stood covered in pumpkin guts, eggs, and toilet paper."

"I remember that! Your mom was _so fucking pissed_ that she threatened to never let me see you again! _That_ is your wallpaper? You've been in Seattle for years, dude. You have to have made some friends…"

"I did. But they know that you're the apex of my friendships. You're the level they'll never able to achieve, Che."

Chloe knew she was crying as Max looked at her with a gentility that the bluenette didn't think she deserved. Wiping the wetness from her face with a jacket sleeve, Chloe's eyes were shut when she felt Max kiss her on the forehead.

"But…I wanted to forget you so damn much," Chloe sputtered out as she kept herself from sobbing, "You…you _left_ me, and my world went dark. I made _a_ friend, but she could never be you. Heh, she gets mad when I get angry at you. I think she knows how much you actually mean to me, Maxaroni." Reaching a hand up, Chloe ran her fingers along Max's jawline as the brunette's eyes started to become misty.

"Aw, Max. Don't cry."

"B-But I missed you so much, Che," Max stuttered, the shy girl from Chloe's memory surfacing underneath the chill girl exterior, "You said you never wanted t-to hear from me and all I ever wanted was y-"

The silence as Max cut herself off was heavy enough that Chloe thought she might not be able to breathe. _Oh my…Oh my God. Was she…does she…?_

"All you ever wanted was _what_ , Caulfield?" Chloe asked, peering up as Max lowered her head so only her mouth was visible underneath chestnut hair. "C'mon, Max. It's just me, dude. I can keep a secret, I swear."

"It _is_ you, Chloe. I've loved you since I was 12 and y-you pushed me away…" Max started to moan quietly as tears fell from her chin and landed on Chloe's tank-top as her voice broke. "I loved you and you _abandoned_ me. You threw me away, Chloe. All I've ever wanted for the past four years was you, Goddamnit."

"Jesus Christ," Chloe had figured what Max was going to say. Part of it, anyway, but not to the extent that Max had gone; Chloe's heart dropped at Max's heartbreaking confession. _She loved me…? She…she_ loved _me_ , _and what did I do? I fucking broke her heart and tossed her in a fit. I'm an idiot. Still…does she love me now?_ "Do you still…? Fuck, I'm afraid to ask."

"Of course," Max's head turned slightly as her hair parted enough that Chloe could see two pools of watery, oceanic blue look down at her kindly, "I've never stopped loving you, Chloe Price. I came to get you, but in truth I'm selfish. The second you messaged me, I fell out of my bed. I-I cried, but the tears were happy. Please, Che. Please don't leave me."

"I'm never leaving you," Chloe said as her own voice began to waver, kissing Max as the brunette finally lowered back down to kiss Chloe in return.

"This weekend isn't going to last, you know," Max whispered, her tone crestfallen as she leaned her forehead onto Chloe's. "I'm afraid that when it's over we will be, too."

"That won't happen, Max. You love me…and I love you," Chloe's walls gone as she let a surprised Max into her entirely, "We will last. We will. Forever."

 **Author's Note**

 **Holy shit. Seriously – holy fucking shit.**

 **Um, so yeah. That's** _ **part one**_ **of Teenage Dirtbag. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did making it. Four hours doth make a largeth-as-fucketh story, and it's only a part of the whole thing. This prompt-based story was supposed to be a one-shot but I'm loving what this is turning into too much to stop. For cereal.**

 **I'm thinking that I might put Fighters on hold until this one is done. Not sure if I really will, as I've got Chapter 8 of Fighters a third of the way done. This story has just been, well, rejuvenating. I can kick back and just go nuts with this. Like I said, I'm not sure. I might try and juggle the two stories somehow...**

 **This Max is something of an amalgamation of how I've written Max in my other stories. She's still got some of the Canon Max's traits** , **but there's some Punk Max and Rebel Girl Max as well. I like writing Chloe being so conflicted – it's not expanded upon as much in the game, but I really feel that she's internally battling herself over Max.**

 **I'll put up the second part of this tomorrow, mainly because I don't want to stop now that I'm on something of a roll.**

 **Read, review, and I'll see you tomorrow for the second part. "Stoners in Seattle" – what a goddamn treat, eh?**

 **Stay hella, Cinnamon Rolls!**

 **PS – Pagliacci's is a legit pizza place in Seattle and their food is fucking killer. Seriously, if you're ever in Seattle** _ **find this goddamn pizza place**_ **.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Teenage Dirtbag**

 **Part Two – All I Wanted**

 **Song by Paramore**

 _She's running in a clearing surrounded by woods. Breathless as a light drizzle begins to come down, Chloe looks up and sees clear skies._ The world is crying _, the bluenette thinks to herself as she heads toward the tree line only to see two small figures come out of the woods. Frozen in place, Chloe watches as her younger self and 13 year-old Max Caulfield come out and begin to play. Not knowing what is going on, Chloe watches them as they run past her in a two-person game of tag._

 _"It!" Young Chloe cries out as she slaps Young Max's shoulder._

 _"Butt!" Young Max shouts as she turns to dash after the taller blonde girl._

 _"Nuh-uh!" Young Chloe turns around and gets a snicker from Older Chloe as the young blonde kid gets tackled by a diminutive Max. Both girls begin to giggle before Young Chloe looks up at her older counterpart from across the clearing. "Why don't you play?"_

 _"I…I don't know," Chloe admits, scratching at her beanie as Young Max whispers into the blonde girl's ear._

 _"Max says you need a partner. So we can play with four people. You're too tall so it wouldn't be fair. To Max, I mean. I don't give a crap, really," Young Chloe says with a shrug as she and her Max get up and brush grass off their jeans._

 _"Where's my partner?" Chloe asks, seeing Young Max look at her curiously._

 _"She's there," Young Max says, pointing behind Chloe. Chloe turns her head and sees someone in a red flannel shirt and jeans approach from the trees behind her. Her feet coming back under her control, Chloe turns and sees a smiling 16 year-old Max walking toward her._

 _"Play?" Chloe's Max asks her, her smiling face shining with rain and sun as she offers the bluenette her hand._

 _"I've been waiting for you." Chloe's simple words convey a deeper meaning as Max takes Chloe's hand in her own and walks up alongside the blue-haired girl._

 _"I'm here now, Che. Don't let go. Not ever."_

 _Chloe feels herself pulled along by Max as the brunette girl looks at her from over a shoulder, laughing. Chloe feels laughter rise out from deep inside her as she runs up to match Max's pace and position. The littler versions of herself and Max see them coming and squeal in delight as all four girls run at each other._

* * *

Chloe Price's eyes open wide in an instant, a dissipating vision of peaceful trees and grass from her dreams echoing in her mind before she remembered where she was. _Fuck, I'm at Max's place in Seattle. Yesterday happened. It's totally real._ Stretching, Chloe lost her balance and fell off the couch onto the living room floor with an "Oof!"

"Shit," Chloe mumbled as she faceplanted into the carpet, thankful that it wasn't the hardwood floor underneath.

Looking around the Caulfields' place, Chloe scratched at her blue hair and winced from the hangover she felt. Remembering the taste of Max's cocktail, Chloe felt her face heat up as she also recollected _how_ she remembered. _Lips on mine, tongue in my mouth. Hella spicy. Hot. Max. Holy balls._ The brownstone felt different in the daylight, more real and less like a fantasy that Chloe had cooked up in her head.

"Need some fucking air, yo," Chloe mumbled to herself as she slid the jacket Max had given her last night back on and stepped out onto the balcony. The air wasn't quite warm yet, a slight crispness helping to wake Chloe up further as she spied the city's skyline over the building across the street from Max's. She didn't know that Seattle could even _be_ peaceful, let alone quiet like it was. Taking in a deep breath, Chloe smiled wanly as she let the air out and finished waking up. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she tapped at the screen. _Notification from Mom? Check you later, Joyce. Uh, Unknown? Oh…David. Dude, eat shit and die in a fire._ Chloe pulled a cigarette out and lit it as she scrolled to a message from Rachel Amber.

 **Rach: You there, Chlo?**

The text was recent so Chloe decided to try and get back to her sooner rather than later.

 **Chloe: Yo**

 **Rach: ! Heyyyyyy**

 **Chloe: dweeb wat up**

 **Rach: sry 4 the silence! We were nowhere near any place to send letters and shit. Problematic.**

 **Chloe: s'cool**

 **Rach: got a fat stack of postcards wif ur name on 'em :)**

 **Chloe: NO EMOJI**

 **Chloe: thx I'll get to them when I get back**

 **Rach: Get back…? Thought ur broke**

 **Chloe: Max came and got me. In Seattle presently, chillin' with my girl**

 **Rach: I see**

 **Chloe: Dude, stop. You and I are hella tight…but you had to have figured how I am as far as my hippie goes.**

 **Rach: U luv her**

 **Chloe: I totally fucking do**

 **Chloe: She told me last night that she's loved me since she was 12**

 **Rach: O_O**

 **Chloe: …I'll allow that one.**

 **Chloe: I'm…I'm happy, Rach. GTG. Off to find my woman, yo! Later!**

Slipping her phone back into her jeans, Chloe paused for a moment as a through crossed her mind.

"Wait. Where the fuck _is_ Max?" Chloe asked herself before heading back inside and towards the door leading down the stairs. "Her shoes are gone. There's an empty peg on the coat rack. She bail? She bail on me?"

Chloe felt a knot of tension build in her chest. _No. No, she wouldn't do that. Not again, and hella not after last night. She told me she's loved me since we were tweens. No fucking way. But what if she got fucking cold feet? What if she's waiting for me to bail?_ Putting her hands to the sides of her head, Chloe tried to drive her nagging fears away with a grunt. Worried that she might cry or scream, Chloe bit her lip as she lifted her head back up and stopped in her tracks. There was a post-it note on the door. Looking at the square of yellow paper, Chloe plucked it off the front door's marbleized window and read it aloud.

"Hey. Morning, babe," Chloe paused as relief flooded in, "No worries. Went to get us coffee and treats. Finalizing plans for today. No wakey sleeping Che. Learned my lesson when we were ten. See you soon. Love, Max."

Tracing her finger around the heart that Max had drawn at the note's end, Chloe smiled while still biting her lip. Pocketing the note, Chloe decided to go and check out Max's photo wall while the getting was good. Running down the hall in her socks, Chloe slid on the wood floor with a snort before she collided into Max's door. The door giving way too easily, Chloe fell over and onto her face once more.

"This shit's getting hella ridiculous," Chloe muttered before removing her face from the floor and getting to her feet. "Ugh. Okay, Max. Show me what you're made of."

Some of the photos Chloe knew as copies from photo albums that she had made with Max years ago. Pirates, ninjas, ghostbusters; Max and Chloe had 7 Halloweens of matching costumes under their respective belts. _She has them lined up with the years written on the wall above each picture. Nerd. Loveable, though._ There were some pictures of Arcadia Bay, some shots of Seattle during the day and night, and pictures of other kids Chloe could only imagine were her classmates. One girl looked pissed in nearly every photo, the only smiling shot being when she put bunny ears on Max while the brunette didn't notice. Chloe mused at that picture, it being the only one with anything written on it.

"Wow. You made an enemy of Max, 'Icky Vicky," Chloe said as she flicked at the blonde girl's face. "People say I'm shitty, but you're just shit."

Wrapping up her investigation, Chloe walked over to Max's laptop and swept a finger across the touchpad to see the picture Max had mentioned the night before as the desktop wallpaper. Seeing the ecstatic grins on her and Max's faces while covered in the remnants of their Halloween pranks, Chloe couldn't help but laugh before heading back into the hall. _She'll be back soon. I should explore some more, but first something to drink. Thirsty after all that booze last night, and all "dat Max". Heh._ Heading into the kitchen, Chloe went to open the fridge when she saw another note on the fridge.

"Gray bottle's water. Purple bottle's OJ. Yellow bottle is yours. Enjoy, Che. :)"

Tilting her head as she swiped the note off the fridge and stuffed it with the first post-it, Chloe smirked before opening the fridge. _Gray, purple, and fucking yellow. Wow. Uh, yellow it is…?_ Grabbing the bottle and a glass from the clean dishes in a nearby dishrack, Chloe poured out a thick, pinkish liquid into her glass. Lifting the glass to her face for examination, Chloe eyed the beverage in her hand suspiciously before taking a sip. _Did she make me a smoothie? This is…strawberry-banana! She remembered!_ Seeing the trash can's lid slightly ajar, Chloe opened it up and felt her breath catch at the sight of strawberry leftovers and banana peels.

"You're wonderful, Max," Chloe said, eyes getting misty as she took a drink of the beverage made especially for her, "You're really wonderful."

People were nice to Chloe, on occasion. Rachel was always pretty chill with her, and Joyce was always nice. Nobody went out of their way like this, though, and Chloe knew that even the drink and notes were special. _She left me a trail of notes and a drink for when I woke up. Mushy as fuck, but sometimes I like mushy._

"I wonder if she left other notes…?" Chloe asked herself as she set the now-empty glass down on the kitchen island and proceeded to explore. A note on the TV said "Bathe" which got a grunt and an "I don't stink, nerd" muttered from Chloe before the bluenette headed into the bathroom with her feet dragging.

"I don't smell," Chloe said as she flipped on the light switch and sniffed at her shirt, "Okay. _I_ don't stink, but my shirt is sweaty, I'll admit."

Chloe smiled at the bath towel, washcloth, and toothbrush sitting on the toilet lid all neatly before taking the toothbrush and turning toward the sink. Her mouth gaped open a bit at Max's notes sticking to the mirror. Each piece of paper was a single word, but they were put up in such a way that Chloe realized it was a puzzle. Chloe had always been good with puzzles of every kind thrown at her. Problem solving, math, and art were how she'd won her scholarship for Blackwell. _Black-Hell. Fucking dickbutts._ Her behavior not exactly meeting Blackwell standards, Chloe had been nearly kicked out by the last semester's end. Managing to scrape together a "C" average, Chloe had nearly driven her mom to tears as Blackwell put her on academic probation pending improvement by the coming Fall semester's end. Looking up at her blue hair, Chloe smiled at the reaction Principal Wells would give her about this latest development.

"Don't like my tats? S'fine," Chloe said to herself as she played around with the notes to figure out what Max had left behind, "They're not for you, asshat. Neither is my hair. I'm creative, so let me be creative. Fucking Nazis."

Twisting her mouth in an expression of concentration, Chloe looked at all the words separately before taking a step back as she started on brushing her teeth. Brushing with one hand while arranging Max's notes with the other, Chloe's eyes lit up as she recognized a sequence of words she had _heard in a song_.

"I could follow you to the beginning…Just to relive the start. Maybe then we'd remember to slow down…At all of our favorite parts…," Chloe sang the completed puzzle aloud, putting a hand to her mouth immediately after as she recognized the song, "This is 'All I Wanted' by Paramore. The chorus…the chorus went…"

"All I wanted was you…," Max sang from the other side of the bathroom door. Chloe jumped in surprise before glaring at Max as the bluenette peeked from behind the door at the brunette. Jean shorts with black stockings and her sneakers, Max was sporting Chloe's beanie with a gray hoodie and a smile on her face. "Hey, you."

"Dude, you fucking scared the shit outta me. I'm not a jumper and I still jumped," Chloe chided, waving her used toothbrush at Max as the brunette opened the bathroom door to stand in the doorway.

"Sorry," Max said, smiling apologetically as she leaned on the doorway with her arms crossed, "I couldn't help it. You're crazy cute and…well, I wanted to hear you sing."

"Well, in that case you're forgiven. I guess." Chloe eyed Max out of the corner of her eye before walking the two steps it took for her to reach the doorway and Max. Wrapping the smaller girl in a hug, Chloe pressed her cheek against Max's as she slowly rocked them both. "You could have woken me up, you know."

"Fuck that shit," Max said with a giggle, "You come out swinging, Price. No punch-y in the face-y. Not if you want kisses and love."

"Kisses _and_ love? Sign me the fuck up, that's some good shit right there!" Chloe smiled as she kissed Max on the cheek. "Join me in my 'bathing'?" _Someone_ implied that I needed to come clean."

"And I thought _my_ jokes were bad," Max's impression of the Joker getting Chloe to snicker. "Wash up, and I'll keep the coffee and donuts waiting on you. Hurry up, though, because the Choux pastries are calling my name."

"Choux pastries?" Chloe asked as she started to undress, smirking as Max quickly spun around. _I saw that red face, Max. Still Max Caulfield, heh._ "What the fuck is that?"

"It, uh, i-it's a light pastry. The coffee shop has them like a crème-filled donut made of the dough used to create an éclair. I bought fruit-filled ones and they're still fresh so less talk and more soap… _ahh! Chloe!_ " Max screamed as a sprinkling of hot water smacked her legs, Chloe already inside the shower and messing with the water as she peeked out from the curtain. "You did _not_ just do that! Did you _spit_ that water?"

"Uh…no?" _Fuck._

"No baked goods for you. There are starving people in Third World countries. I'm sure they'd like the sugar-"

"Noooo!"

"…Hurry up, jerkface," Max said with a faint scowl, switching the bathroom light off on Chloe as she closed the door behind her to the satisfaction of Chloe screaming again in surprise.

" _Goddamnit, Max!_ "

"Mu-ha-ha- _ha_ , Price!"

* * *

Chloe munched away at what she had christened a "donut-thing" while sipping coffee on the balcony. Dressed in a long-sleeved Ramones shirt and green army fatigue pants, Chloe enjoyed the cool cement on her bare feet while savoring the raspberry filling of her pastry. The coffee was good too, surprisingly so. _Such a connoisseur, my little Max has become. Hipster, meet hipster food. You'll get along amazeballs._ Stuffing the pastry into her mouth, Chloe wiped her hand on her pant leg before pulling her vibrating phone out.

 **Joyce: Chloe, I've been trying to reach you since yesterday.**

 **Chloe: Sorry, Mom. Been out of touch. What's up?**

 **Joyce: Well, things aren't going so smoothly here. We're headin off somewhere else. Anything goin on back home I should know about?**

 **Chloe: Well…the house finally came to its senses and realized it was a house. Other than that? Just sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. GTG Byyyeeeee**

 _Adios, Mama_. _Maybe David Madshit won't be a prick and you'll have a good time. Heh, that's funny. I'm funny_ , Chloe thought to herself as Max slid the door open and stepped out onto the balcony herself with her own coffee and a cigarette. _I saw you smoke pot last night, but even a cigarette still surprises me. Wowsers. Fuck, she's got me thinking that shit now._ Seeing a flake of pastry on Max's cheek, Chloe grinned at her friend's expression of confusion as Chloe reached out to her face with a finger.

"Pastry bit," Chloe explained as she pulled her finger back to reveal a crumb, "Unless you _want_ to walk around like you have the eating habits of a fucking pre-schooler…"

"You're cute. That's cute," Max replied, blowing a smoke ring at Chloe. "Told you the Choux pastry was good. That's your third, isn't it?"

"Shaddup, nerd!" Chloe barked, falling for Max's bait as the brunette revealed the empty bag.

"There were four."

"So?"

"You had _three_. Something off about that math, Che?"

"But…but I'm a _guest_ …," Chloe said, whining as she gave Max a wounded puppy look.

"You also suck. Like _hardcore_ suck." Max snickered as Chloe placed a hand on her chest in feigned shock. "I meant donuts, you dirty-minded punk-ass! Dog, I can't take you anywhere. Maybe I should just send you packing…"

Chloe's coffee fell out of her hand and down to the ground below as Max's words rang out in her head. She knew Max was teasing, but the idea of going back to Arcadia Bay or getting sent home _by_ Max stung hard. _I…I don't want to leave. Don't make me leave, Max._ Chloe's lip began to tremble and the next thing she knew Max was wrapping her up in a hug.

"I was just teasing, Che. I'm sorry. Please don't cry, okay?" Max asked as she lifted her head up to look at Chloe from her spot against the taller girl's shoulder.

"What if I want to cry sometimes?" Chloe asked as she rubbed at her eyes with her free hand, looking down at where her coffee had landed.

"Well, it'll harm your street cred," Max joked, " _Why_ are you crying, Che?"

"It hasn't even been a day and I can't remember the last time I felt so…so _happy_. Even the idea of leaving makes my body shake, dude. I just want to enjoy this. Now," Chloe said as Max moved to hug her from behind. Closing her eyes as she felt Max's head laid against her back, Chloe smiled as she was spooned.

"Gotcha," Max's words came out tender with a hint of sadness, "I don't want to think about it, either. Y-you…well, _you know_. 'Bout done out here? Got some places I'd like to take you, and a couple peeps I want you to meet."

"No time like the present, Maxaroni," Chloe said before quirking an eyebrow at a chuckling Max, "What?"

"You'll see," Max said as she pulled Chloe back inside, Chloe eyeing Max with renewed suspicion as the brunette would only return Chloe's look with an impish grin. _You're up to something, Max. Hella mischievous, little nerd._

* * *

Chloe pressed her face against the window she and Max were looking out of at the Space Needle and blew a raspberry with the glass. Fogging up the window, Chloe looked over at a giggling Max before pulling herself back to quickly draw MC x CP on the window with a heart outlining the initials. Seeing Max reach into a camera bag she was lugging along, Chloe's eyes lit up at the sight of a Polaroid camera. _Just like Dad's. Dad…_ , Chloe thought as her elation crashed into sadness. Max picked up on Chloe's change of pace, the brunette kissing the bluenette softly on the lips as she encouraged Chloe to pose next to the slowly-vanishing mark she'd made. Sticking out her tongue as she gave Max two middle fingers, Chloe stopped herself from laughing as Max took a shot.

"Hang on, Max," Chloe said as she quickly blew onto the window to make the image return, "Take another." Chloe posed sweetly this time, feeling comfortable enough with Max to play the mushy role. Holding her arm the way Max sometimes did, Chloe looked at the camera bashfully with a heartfelt smile on her face. _You don't know this, Max, but I actually picked up your damn habit and now I hold_ my _arm sometimes when I get upset. Bad influence, that Max Caulfield. Where did she go wrong?_

"Okay, now one of me," Max said as she handed the camera off to Chloe. Leaning against the window, Max made a heart with her hands and smiled with her nose scrunched up. Chloe was glad that the camera covered her cheeks because the sight before her of Max had Chloe blushing like crazy. _She's beautiful. Wow._ Snapping a shot, Chloe gestured for Max to wait a second as Chloe took one more. Handing Max the camera back, Chloe took both of her photos and slipped them into a pocket in her jeans.

"Aw, Che, they'll get crinkled and shit," Max said as she took the pictures out of Chloe's pocket and put them into a pocket on her camera bag, "Hey, I have an idea. Trust me?"

"Hella yes," Chloe said, meaning it as Max led her back toward the elevator, "Too many people getting up here. Fucking tourists." Hearing Max burst into laughter, Chloe realized the miscalculation of her statement. "Guess _I'm_ a fucking tourist, too. Geez, Max, you're so nice to me."

Max laughed even harder, getting an irritated groan from Chloe in response.

"You sure about this, Max?" Chloe asked, checking herself out in the mirror.

"It's not fucking pricey, Che. Just relax and let me get it," Max said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What about 50-50?"

"If I say yes will you _leave it at 50-50_?"

"…Yes."

The jacket was nice and light. A brown, blazer-looking leather jacket, Chloe tested her new gear out with stretches and long reaches as Max looked on in bemusement while they walked down the sidewalk. _Fits good enough, and my arms aren't too fucking restricted. Plus it looks good on me._ Nodding as she concluded that she liked it, Chloe bumped her hip against Max's as she wrapped her arm across the brunette's shoulders. Seeing the occasional odd look, Chloe met them back with leers, smiles, and the typical middle finger. Chloe got so wrapped up that she didn't realize they were headed toward a bus stop until she was under in the awning.

"Where we headed now?" Chloe wondered aloud as she looked at the other people waiting for the transportation to show up.

"Where I work. It's a little before lunch but I confirmed us a spot while you went through the bajillion jackets that second-hand store had," Max said as she rolled her eyes, "These buses are _always_ fucking late. Come on."

Chloe looked around nervously as Max pushed them out of the increasing mass of people waiting for a bus, grunts and muttered cusswords flung at both girls with emphasis as Max elbowed the last person keeping them pinned in the crowd so she and Chloe could escape. Laughing internally, Chloe bit her lip as Max let go of Chloe's arm and reached down to take the bluenette's hand instead. _Buddy system, Max? You afraid you'll lose me here, somehow? That's actually a fair bet. Yep, I could roll on that._ Watching Max try to flag down a taxi, Chloe brought her fingers to the corners of her mouth and let out an ear-piercing whistle that brought a yellow cab over only a handful of seconds later.

"Where to?" the cab driver asked, looking into his rearview mirror as Max climbed inside after Chloe.

"Max?" Chloe asked, "This is your master plan."

"You know where Local 360 is?" Max asked.

"Headin' there? Getting close to lunch," the driver mused before shrugging and pulling back onto the street.

"Yeah, but it's cool. I work there and the manager's a friend," Max said with a nod, oblivious to the small look of admiration on Chloe's face, "We've got a spot in the kitchen reserved. That cool, Che?"

"Uh, of course it's _cool_. You five by five on everything so far, Maxi Pad."

" _Ugh_ , you know I hated it when you used to call me that."

"Please, ladykiller, as if I _love_ being called a butt," Chloe retorted, looking towards the driver as she heard him snicker, "Dude, don't laugh! It only fuels her need to tease!"

Holding hands as they sat in the back of their taxi, Max looked out the window to watch traffic and pedestrians while Chloe simply observed the brunette. Part of her was still reeling from a couple days ago. _You were a memory, but now I'm here with you, Max. How messed up is that, how fucking cool? You've changed so much, but I've seen that the Max I remember is still in there. She pops up every now and then. You…fuck,_ Chloe's thoughts interrupted by the smile on Max's face as the brunette watched her quietly through the window's slight reflection. Quickly looked out her window to hide how intensely she was blushing, Chloe felt Max tap her hand with a single finger.

"Yeah, I know. Not polite to stare or whatever," Chloe grumbled as she reluctantly turned to face Max.

"Actually, I was going to tell you that you're cute," Max said, her smile softening as she looked at Chloe with eyes the bluenette could only think of as "dreamy".

Chloe was about to speak up again when her stomach decided that it was in need of food, growling loudly enough the cab driver chuckled before doing so again as Max's stomach answered Chloe's with a rumbling of its own. Both of them smirking at each other, Max and Chloe met halfway as their lips connected in a single, long-lasting kiss.

"Are we there yet?" Chloe asked after pulling away from Max's reddened lips, the brunette still lingering in the aftermath of their kiss. "Uh, Max?"

"Hmm?" Snapped out of her euphoria, Max looked at Chloe with an awkward smile before sliding up the cab's divider as she saw the driver watch them with an amused twinkle in his eye, " _Dog_ , I don't need spectators. U-Uh, yeah. We should be…there it is, right over there."

Chloe leaned over to Max's side of the seat and looked to where her friend was pointing. A few tables placed outside the building's corner with a sign hanging over them with "Local 360" printed on it. Tinted windows gave the restaurant an air of mystery that only added to Chloe's equally mysterious impression of Max. Pulling out her wallet, Chloe grumbled as she flipped through her depleting cash reserve when Max put a hand on her arm and presented a debit card to the driver.

Stepping out of the cab, Chloe watched the diminutive brunette stretch and yawn as she joined Chloe on the sidewalk. _You can probably look cute doing anything at this point, Max. Is it bad that I'm in Seattle with you and all I want is to just go back to your place and chill alone with my best friend?_ Putting a hand to her lips, Chloe grinned wryly. _Maybe more than friends, though. Definitely more. We…we told each other…I should just mentally shut the fuck up now. I'm in public. Shutting up. Now._

"Max!" a waiter cried out as she finished taking an order, the tall brunette colliding into the smaller one with a hug that threw Chloe off-guard. _What the fuck? Lay off my girl, whoever the fuck_ you _are_. _Wait. This is probably one of the friends Max was talking about. Why am I so…so jealous right now? She's with_ me _, right? Or is it that I'm with_ her _?_

"Kristen!" Max exclaimed as she squeezed her friend's hand before pulling the tall girl over to Chloe. Chloe's eyes widened a bit by the fact that Kristen was a few inches taller than she was. The warm glint in Kristen's eyes made Chloe look down for a moment, embarrassed at how childish she had momentarily been. She wanted Max all to herself this weekend, likely forever, but that was just a dream already wrapped up in a three-day fantasy. "Che, this is Kristen. Kristen, this is Chlo-"

"You're Chloe? _Hey_!" Chloe must've looked horrified because Max burst into a fit of giggles as Kristen hugged the bluenette and lifted her inches off the ground. _No no no nope noooooo_ , Chloe thought as her pinned arms writhed under the vice grip of Max's friend. _Max, make it stop!_

"Max, make it stop!" Chloe cried out, instantly cussing herself out as the filter between her thoughts and words failed for a second. _Me am no think good but speak even ungooder. Ugh, lemme go!_

Disengaging from her grip on Chloe, Kristen took a step back and elbowed Max in the side while wiggling her eyebrows. Tall and mildly tan with dark hair past her shoulders, Chloe thought Kristen looked like she could be a model. Feeling a little overwhelmed, Chloe's shoulders slumped as she inevitably began to compare herself to the statuesque girl standing next to Max. _Dude, she's like hella fit and super cute. How the fuck am I supposed to compete with that? Max is with me_ now _, sure, but what happens when I leave? Are they…Is she…?_ Lost in her own mind, Chloe didn't notice Max move next to her until a pair of soft lips gently kissed at her neck and bend her head down.

"I'm right here," Max whispered into Chloe's ear, "I'm with you, and we're amazeballs. Relax, Che. I'm not going anywhere."

"Dude, are you fucking psychic?" Chloe whispered, eyes widening for a second when Max responded by putting two fingers to a temple and closing her eyes. _Professor Max, Headmistress of the Caulfield School for Gifted Hipsters._ _Heh._

"I dunno. _Am I_?" Max asked as she opened her eyes, Kristen smirking at the ease of the girls' exchange.

"You're a nerd, that's what you are."

"You're even bigger a nerd than I am, Che. You're _literally_ bigger than me. Plus, you catch all my references."

"I understood that reference."

Rolling her eyes, Max let out a short laugh and waved at Kristen before she escorted Chloe inside. Watching Max wave at some of the customers and other employees, Chloe couldn't help but grin as she suddenly felt like she was dating the popular girl in school. _Everybody smiles at her, waves, is all friendly and cheerful and shit. Dude,_ Chloe thought to herself as she looked across the bar to a plaque on the wall, _She's employee of the month three_ times in a row _. Fucking crazy._ Max knocked on the doorway that led into the kitchen, smiling at one of the cooks.

"Hey, Fernando!" Cheerfully waving at the young man in a chef's coat, Max walked over and punched him in the shoulder. Chloe smirked as Max's friend played along, wincing before dramatically making it look like he might pass out. Tilting his head to one side as he stopped, he went to give Max a hug when the brunette held him back and pointed at the messy state of his attire. "No cheese on me, please."

"You're already cheesy, Maxaroni," Chloe added, laughing in surprise at Max turning around to flip her off, "Max! There are children present!"

"No there isn't." Max's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Then who am I talking to right now? Agh, don't hit me!" Chloe cried out as Max grabbed a clean frying pan, "I'm delicate! No!"

"Max, quit," Fernando said in a hushed tone as he swiped the pan out of Max's hand, "You'll get us _both_ in trouble. The table's in back with a couple menus. Drinks?"

"Just water for me," Max said as she headed in the direction Fernando had pointed out, motioning for Chloe to follow, "She'll take water, too."

"What if I want a-"

"Nope."

"But maybe-"

" _Nope._ "

Grunting at Max's refusal to let her imbibe the fancy drinks she had spied when they came into the restaurant, Chloe grumbled under her breath until they made it to where the table was. Located near the back door and next to a window, a single flower sat in a vase as Max pulled a chair out for Chloe.

"Uh…," Chloe scratched at her hair, wishing that Max wasn't wearing her beanie so that she could pull it down to hide her face from embarrassment. "Max, this is…umm…"

"Just sit down, dork," Max smiled coyly as she patted at Chloe's chair. "C'mon. It's just a chair."

"But you're holding it for me."

"That _is_ the idea."

"Hella mushy."

"Just get in the damn chair, Che." _Fuck, I'm killing Max's romantic shtick. Play along, Chloe. You don't have forever._

Frowning at the reminder of how limited their time was, Chloe plopped down into the chair and let Max scoot her into the table as Kristen showed up with water and a single menu. Chloe offered to share the menu with Max but the brunette waved her off with an amused look. _Of course she doesn't need it. She_ works here _, jackass. I'm such a goddamn dork. Ugh._ _She's all smooth and I'm flailing like a spaz. Just toss me back into the water, Max, and see if I sink or swim._ Sighing as she scanned the contents, Chloe spotted something that looked recognizable enough to her.

"Hipster pizza, hipster donuts, and now hipster lunch-"

"Hipster _brunch_ ," Max cut Chloe off with a chuckle, "If you're going to claim everything is 'Hipster', at least get it right."

" _Fine_ , but I bet even the coffee was hipster-y, like it went to open mic nights or something and snapped invisible fingers at slam poetry," Chloe said as she closed the menu, "The Scramble of the day with homefries and a biscuit? That good?"

"Yeah, it usually is," Kristen said, warmly smiling at the bluenette as she waited for Max's order, "I already _know_ what you're ordering, Maximillian."

"French toast with the apple compote and-" Max started before getting cut off.

"-the whiskey crème anglaise. Yeah, told you I had it," Kristen finished, giggling as she took Chloe's menu with a gracious bow. "I'll be here all day…and until close…"

"What?!" Max's head snapped up as she looked at Kristen intently, catching Chloe and her other friend off-guard, "You and Fernando were supposed to hang out with us today! Dude, what the fuck?"

"I need the shifts, Max. If we want to get the hell out of the city for a _real_ vacation, Fernando and I have to work all day. Sorry," Kristen winced under the scrutiny of Max's eyes before sighing in relief as Max shrugged.  
"S'fine. More time for me an' my Che," Max said, reaching over to take a blushing Chloe's hand.

"I'm yours, huh?" Chloe asked, trying to sound cool as she mentally shrieked in giddiness. _Girlfriends? Girlfriends!_

"Oh, I thought you got the memo," Max joked, sarcasm in full swing, "You're legally obligated to be my girlfriend, what with room and board already provided. It's in the contract."

"I didn't get any contract." Chloe played along.

"You didn't get that thing I sent you?"

"No, Peter Potamus, I didn't. Ha _ha_ , surprise relationship!" Covering one eye with a hand, Chloe leaned back in her seat and laughed deliriously as they finished referencing _Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law._ "Dude, we should do stand-up."

"F-Fuck no," Max said, fidgeting at the idea of speaking in front of so many people, "I-I don't think I could…I could…I'll be right back."

Chloe almost got out of her chair but was reassured by Max as the brunette kissed her on the forehead and went outside to catch her breath. Hearing Max come down from nearly hyperventilating, the window being cracked open to let in some cool air, Chloe's worried expression matched her thoughts. _Her attack came so sudden. Was that an attack, or just a flash of anxiety? I get like that, but it's never so sudden or strong. Shit, Max, how did you get like this? Your anxiety was never this bad before…_

"Max?" Chloe called out through the window, "You okay, Maxaroni?"

"…Just give me a sec and I'll come back inside," Chloe heard Max reply, the brunette's fragile tone only making Chloe more concerned until she smelled pot smoke emanating from the open window. _Calming herself down. At least she can't get arrested for having it, though I'm willing to be the po-po don't look too kindly on a teenage girl smoking dope in an alleyway._ It was a good minute or two before Max came back in, her eyes a little glazed over as she had rapidly inhaled the joint. _You might have a prescription, Max, but you're pretty lightweight. You already look stoned._

"You cool?" Chloe asked, concern lining her face as she reached over to take Max's hand. The brunette kissed each of Chloe's blue nails which only elicited a grin from the bluenette in return.

"I am now." Max's voice was sweet but somewhat far away. "I'm also fucking hungry. Hard not to be when someone ate my other pastry this morning…"

"How was I supposed to know you wanted more than one? What if you're looking after your figure your figure or some shit?"

"Then _of course_ I would be eating French toast, right? Not maybe a carrot and some crackers or what-fucking-ever? You're just greedy for my treats," Max teased, poking one of Chloe's cheeks with a finger.

"…Well, yeah." Chloe's admission caught Max by surprise, "I'm…I'm greedy for you in general, Max. That really so bad?"

"No, but you could've left me a second donut."

" _Ugh_. I get sappy and you throw food in my face. I see how it is, Caulfield. I just won't try to be romantic-"

Max's kiss, the brunette leaning over the small table, caught Chloe unawares. The taste of pot and a lingering fruitiness from the pastry earlier in the morning swirled together as Chloe took Max's flavor in her mouth. Moaning slightly, Chloe reached out to run her hand through Max's hair only to have both her hands pushed down as Max gently leaned on them. _Kinky Caulfield. That should be your new name. Maybe that's the secret of your closet, all whips and latex. Brat, haha._

"This is a family restaurant, y'know," Kristen abruptly said with a cough, breaking the tender moment between Max and Chloe to the bluenette's chagrin, "Here's your eats. Enjoy, ladies, though I think you were already doing so."

Catching a wink from Kristen aimed at her, Chloe shook her head in amusement as she eyed the scramble of eggs, sausage, and vegetables set over a bed of housefries. A single biscuit sat on a small plate, lathered in blueberry jam. _This looks…and smells…fucking incredible._

"Do you get to eat this well _every day_ , Max?" Chloe asked, her tone of wonder getting a small grin from the brunette in response.

"I usually just get what I have right now. Sometimes I get the macaroni and cheese, though. Double-baked with bread crumbs and veggies set on top," Max said as she unrolled the napkin holding her utensils. "Ready to nosh?"

"Dude, I am hungry like the wolf. This smells fucking amazeballs!" Max and Chloe dug in, enjoying their food and each other in silence as they ate.

* * *

Stretching as she walked outside to smoke, Chloe burped from how full she was after the meal she'd just had. Peering inside through the window, Chloe watched Max take a bite of the French toast as she chatted with her other friends. _Why does part of me want to just grab Max and run off? I have no reason to be jealous, right? I mean, she even said that we're girlfriends. Is that like girl-friends, though? We kissed. She told me that she loved me. This is all such a trip, I feel I might crash back into reality or something. The reality is that tomorrow evening I'll be back in Arcadia Bay, and she'll be on her way back here. Fuck._ Trying to shake off the growing misery she felt, Chloe took a deep puff of her cigarette and blew some smoke rings to distract herself. Hearing Max get up, Chloe scowled a bit as Kristen and Fernando offered to pay for her and Max's meals because they couldn't visit. _Of course you do, because she's fucking Princess Max. Ugh, stop it Chloe! Don't be such a bitch! She loves you!_

 _So why did she run away?_ a voice in Chloe's head echoed, sounding as if it were at the bottom of a deep well. _Why did she leave us?_

"Shut _up_!" Chloe blurted out, alarming Max as the brunette came out through the back door Chloe was leaning next to. "Uh, sorry. Sorry, Max. Just…talking to myself…like a fucking creep…"

"I don't mean to interrupt," Max said, lifting her hands up in apology despite the smile on her face, "If you and you need to finish your discussion I'll just be over here by myself, meaning _only_ me."

"Ha fucking _ha_ , Caulfield. I'm done, you brat," Chloe rolled her eyes as she snuffed the cigarette out on the brick wall next to her before making an apologetic face at Max's look of mild disdain, "Sorry. You work here, so oops. Where to next?"

"Back inside to get a bucket of soapy water and a toothbrush. For you to clean this whole wall in punishment!" Max put a hand on her hips as she wagged a finger in Chloe's direction.

"No, Mistress Max! I promise I'll be a good little Chlo!" Chloe made to get on her knees in supplication as Max laughed, the bluenette's mood lightening at the sound of Max's cheerfulness.

"C'mon, Che. I want to take you somewhere pretty, well, hardcore. First, though, home. Need my car, as this taxi and bus crap gets old _really_ fast."

Taking a final taxi, Max's mouth in a thin line of annoyance the entire drive, to the Caulfields' home, Chloe crossed the street with a mildly angst-ridden brunette in tow as they headed towards the jeep. Seeing a blonde girl leaning against it as she checked out her nails, Chloe heard Max audibly groan at the sight which in turn caught the other girl's attention.

"Max Caulfield!" the blonde girl cried out as she came running for a hug, Chloe thinking she looked familiar, "Where the fuck have you been, asshole?"

"I told you already, Victoria. I'm spending the weekend with my girlfriend. Chloe, Victoria."

"S'up?" Chloe said with an upward jerk of her chin, stuffing her hands in her pockets as Victoria shot her a look with narrowed eyes. _Icky Vicky? Pfffft._ _Do not laugh, do NOT fucking laugh…_

"Well, _Maxine_ ," Victoria continued, ignoring the slight curl of Max's lip into a sneer, "I just wanted to know if you had heard anything about the scholarship for Blackwell? I know that you actually entered this year, but since I'm going there I was curious as to whether you were as well."

"You know I'm not going to win, Vic. My math isn't good enough, despite getting recommendations in every other class. It's why I'm homeschooling a summer math course," Max's eyes narrowed which got a faint whistle from Chloe. _Haven't seen you pissed yet, Max. Will there be punching? Please, let there be punching!_

"Oh. Right." The wicked grin on Victoria's face was so appalling that Chloe wanted to hit the girl after only just meeting her. _Wait. She's going to Black-Hell? Motherfucker!_

"Watch yourself, Icky Vicky," Chloe growled, Victoria stiffening at use of the nickname, "You're not the only one here that's attending Blackwell, and I'm a senior so fucking try and pull shit on my girlfriend. See what happens when you come to Arcadia Bay."

Huffing, Victoria glared at both girls before stomping off. She had made it halfway out of the parking lot when Max called to her and unzipped her hoodie to show off her shirt. Chloe couldn't see from where she was so she moved to get a better look as Victoria groaned in irritation and resumed stomping off.

"'FU=CK?' 'Y+O=U'?" Chloe examined the shirt for a moment longer before Max zipped her hoodie back up. "Ohhh. Heh, fuck you in mathspeak. Nice one, Max."

"Thought you'd approve," Max said as she rolled her eyes in the direction Victoria had gone, "S-She's so fucking mean. Sometimes she can be really nice, but if you do _one thing_ it's like you're marked for life. Fucking Victoria Chase…"

"So what'd you do to earn her death glare?" Chloe asked as she followed Max to the jeep. "Tell me all your dirty little secrets, Max Caulfield."

"There's no dirty secret to this, Chloe," Max said as she fastened her seatbelt and started the jeep up before smirking at a disappointed Chloe, "Not _everything_ that I do is a fucking revelation. I just, well, won some photography contests that she also submitted to."

"How many? She seemed hella vicious."

"…All of them…?"

"Max Caulfield, you little fiend." Chloe chuckled as Max stuck her tongue out at the bluenette before pulling out of the parking space.

"Whatever. You totally wanted to punch her." Max's response garnering a look of surprise on Chloe's face as she gasped.

"…Are you _sure_ you're not psychic?"

"I'll never tell."

Leaving the jeep in a parking lot nearby, Max led Chloe to a monorail stop that took them to the Seattle Center. Watching the city underneath them, Chloe pressed her hands against the glass window as Max pulled out her cell phone to check something. Chloe was giddy, not only because of the fun she was having but also because she had Max to herself again. She couldn't shake the selfishness no matter how hard she tried. Chloe loved Max, loved every new thing she was discovering about the little brunette, and only wanted to know more. Unfortunately, she seemed to become bitter and jealous with every person Max talked to or even waved at. _Why can't I let this bullshit go? I'm having a fucking blast but I'm still nagging inside._ Sighing with a mixture of contentment and inner turmoil, Chloe sat face-forward in her seat and leaned into Max as the brunette looked over at her sheepishly and gave the bluenette a kiss on the lips.

"Where we going?" Chloe asked as she put an arm around Max, holding the littler girl closer. _I can't let you go, Max, and I wouldn't even if I hella could. Don't let me go, okay?_

"The EMP Museum," Max said as she put a hand on Chloe's leg and began to play with a hole in the taller girl's jeans, fixated on the worn denim.

"Uh…"

"It's a museum."

"Uh…" Chloe's curiosity deflated at the word _museum_ only to get a wink from Max.

"You'll like it. Just wait," Max's words were like liquid seeping into Chloe as Max ran a thumb in circles on one of Chloe's cheeks. Chloe shuddered under the impact of Max's tenderness and affection; it was foreign to her, for someone to love her so unconditionally and openly. Joyce and Rachel cared and loved her, Chloe knew, but Max _adored_ her and didn't flinch from showing it freely as much as possible. Chloe felt a warm build in her stomach and spread through her whole body. Feeling gooseflesh break out on her skin, Chloe was thankful for the jacket Max had helped her buy and buried herself into the leather and flannel lining. Hearing Max chuckle, Chloe looked at the brunette over the raised collar of her jacket and smiled as the monorail came to a halt.

"What…what the fuck is that?" Chloe asked as she pointed out the window from the aisle across her and Max's.

"That's the EMP Museum. It's pretty much nothing but pop culture," Max said, elbowing Chloe gently with a knowing smile. "They have running exhibits on Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, as well as some traveling exhibits. I think they had _Battlestar Galactica_ a few months ago. I got to step inside the CIC, and like a dork I yelled 'So say we all!' to my parents' embarrassment, haha. Coming?"

Max leapt to her feet with Chloe following so quickly that she topped over and landed on Max, the brunette holding them both up as she braced them against a pole. Hearing the first warning bell go off, Max lifted Chloe to her feet and pulled the clumsy bluenette awkwardly out of the train and onto the platform outside. Letting Chloe go, Max straightened out her hoodie and checked to make sure her stockings weren't too ripped apart. _Such fashion. So cute. Very Max. Wow_ , Chloe thought to herself before wilting under the slight irritation accompanying the scowl she got from Max.

"Sorry. Just excited, I guess," Chloe said, her head downcast before Max leapt at her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Let's go, 'Clumsy Chlo'. Things to see and places to do."

"I'm not sure that's how it goes, Maxaroni-"

"Shaddup, dork!"

 **Author's Note**

 **Local 360's food is equally dope like Pagliacci's, but they** _ **are**_ **both fairly hipster. Don't care – food's food and what I've had was great. Also, the monorail is fun. It's not a roller-coaster or anything, but it's cool to watch the city bustle about under you and the last time I was in it the cars were still in good condition and clean.**

 **So. This chapter, eh? I was originally going to try and smash all the spots Chloe and Max visited in a single shot, but I opted to spread things out. If you remember, Kristen and Fernando are mentioned in the game through the Fremont Troll photo on Max's wall. Little bit of AU at work there, but every LiS fic here is AU in some fashion. The only non-AU is ultimately DONTNOD's story, which is the canon.**

 **Yes, Victoria and Max know each other pre-Blackwell in this story. I would say they're…frenemies, I guess? An equal measure of politeness and hostility in the story while hinting at an actual friendship further back.**

 **Max is the romantic of the two, and Chloe's all "Buh?" about it. Hella cute.**

 **See you with part 3! Might be up tomorrow…or it could be up as soon as late evening. Just depends on how much of a breather I take. I wrote the first half of this chapter last night from 8pm to midnight because I couldn't stop. This fic is just too much damn fun.**

 **Read, review, and I'll see you for part 3! Shenanigans! Hijinks! Feels and angst!**

 **Stay hella, Cinnamon Rolls!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Teenage Dirtbag**

 **Part Three – Love is to Die**

 **Song by Warpaint**

Chloe was exhausted as she laid on Max's bed. Despite the use of public transportation and Max's jeep, both girls were worn threadbare by spending nearly the whole day out and about as Max tried to fit as much of Seattle into a day for Chloe as the little brunette could. Looking over at Max, the little brunette passed out with earbuds plugged in as music played softly from her smartphone, Chloe grinned hazily as she wrapped an arm around the small bundle of girl lying next to her. Feeling Max stir under her touch, Chloe carefully retracted her hand and waited for Max to settle before she tried again at cuddling up to her sleeping friend.

"Hey, Max?" Chloe asked in a quiet whisper, barely able to hear herself, "Are you my girlfiend?"

Chloe didn't expect an answer; Max's earbuds were softly beating some indie rock or whatever into the brunette's head and she seemed to deeply asleep to notice Chloe's voice. Brushing some of the hair from Max's face and curling behind her ear, Chloe slid to the other side of Max's bed and took the sleeping girl in. Chloe felt that she could fall asleep right now, just as tired as Max but unwilling to let any moment slip her by and being with Max. _This is a miracle_ , Chloe thought to herself as she watched Max's chest rise and fall, _I don't get breaks like this, Max. You don't fucking know; my life's been shit since Dad died and you went away. Since you moved and I pushed you even further._

"If I thought you were waiting for me, even once through the past four years, I'd have come running. I swear, Max. I never thought I'd hear from you again," Chloe continued talking to a sleeping Max, "I kept all of it, y'know. The comics…the drawings and our photos. Heh, I even think I have the pirate hat from our next-to-last Halloween together. D'you think that, just maybe, we might get another Halloween? I mean, I'm too old for getting candy but we can always crash a party in-costume…"

"…Chloe…?" Max said, eyes closed with a furrowed brow as a frown began to form, "Where did you go?"

Thinking that Max was waking up for a second, Chloe almost spoke up when she saw Max slip back into a quiet sleep. Propping herself on an elbow as she stretched out on her side, Chloe figured that Max was dreaming and hushed a sleeping Max softly. Whispering sweet things, telling Max how much the little brunette meant to her, Chloe watched the tension in Max's body begin to recede until tears formed from under Max's eyelids and ran down onto the pillow her head was lying on.

"Che…Che, I'm sorry. Please…Please don't leave me," Max whimpered with a trembling lip.

Chloe's heart broke as she watched Max cry in her sleep. She tried to soothe Max, tried holding the sleeping girl and giving her delicate kisses that just brushed at Max's forehead; nothing worked, leaving Chloe to simply witness her light seem to diminish beneath years of heartache. _I only thought about myself all these years. I figured that she must not have cared, so I fucking pushed Max out of my mind as much as I could. Shit. She_ never _stopped thinking about me, did she? What the fuck did I do?_

Deciding that she needed some air to process her raw thoughts, Chloe carefully slid off the bed and tip-toed in her bare feet into the hallway. Snatching her newish jacket from the coatrack, Chloe headed past the kitchen island and to the balcony. Quietly opening and closing the sliding door as she slipped outside, Chloe lit a cigarette with mildly shaking hands and took a ragged breath as she blew out the smoke before coughing. _What the fuck?_ Chloe thought as she looked at the cigarette. _Since when do I cough at_ you _?_ Shaking her head in amusement at herself, Chloe took another puff of the tobacco and blew out a smoke ring as she let her thoughts drift.

Leaning against the railing, lost in her thoughts, Chloe reminisced to herself over things that had occurred in her life. _Mom fucking cried so hard when Rachel dyed my hair before she left. I honestly felt a little bad, but I like this color_ , Chloe thought pensively as she looked up at the blue hair hanging just above her eyes. _Heh. That reminds me of when Max dyed her hair_ and _mine in junior high._

Chloe had been in the 8th grade while Max was in 7th, lockers across the hall from each other. With Max in Advanced Placement, she shared art and literature classes with Chloe's 8th grade class; the teasing had been brief, someone so small and a year younger being defended from the 8th grade bullies by her taller friend who was the bullies' age. Chloe had kept Max as upbeat as she could with Max serving as Chloe's anchor in return, calming the older girl down whenever she was able to do so. _I was…_ am _…such a fucking hothead. Max was always easily rattled, but she was otherwise the more composed of us. Shit, she still_ is. _Max has got her shit together; I'm a talking wreck._

The incident, as Joyce had come to call it afterwards, happened a few days after Halloween. Getting some money from her parents for doing chores around the house, Max had taken Chloe along on a trip to the supermarket. While Max had gone there with the intent to get some sodas and rent a movie, Chloe was still energized from all the sugar and excitability that came with Halloween. Seeing leftover temporary hair dye from Halloween on sale, Chloe had steered a surprised Max over to the shelf.

"Max, look," Chloe had pointed at the few remaining boxes with an awestruck grin on her face, "We _have_ to."

"Are you c-cereal, Che?" Max's high-pitched voice, even as a whisper, cracked as she was in the throes of puberty, "Our parents will _kill_ us."

"My dad would be cool with it."

"William's cool with _everything_. I'm more afraid of my mom killing me, you, and then killing us all over again," Max pleaded.

Chloe could remember what she had thought back then. _You had the money, Max. Heh, you could have just told me no. Instead, you begged me as I just eyed you with mischief on my mind. Your hair a bright pink, mine…well…it was a darker blue than it is now, your mom looked like she was going to pass out._ Sniggering, Chloe took another drag off the cigarette before flicking it to watch the butt plummet down. Stretching, her mind still a little hazy from such a busy day and afternoon, Chloe scratched at her neck before heading back inside.

Max had begun to make matching photo albums before she fell asleep on the couch, using leather binders and cardstock she'd bought when they stopped at a hobby store down the street. Taking the area that had been occupied by Max before she had nodded off, Chloe reclined into the plush leather seating and smiled at the recent memory of her carrying Max in her arms to the bedroom.

"Should've seen yourself, Max. You curled up in my arms, cute little fucker. You did drool a little, though. That wasn't so cute, heh," Chloe said to herself as she flipped through the incomplete albums.

Max had taken doubles of every shot that she could do so with, Chloe and Max mirrored in two different binders. Reaching the store, Max had told Chloe her plan to make a memento of the weekend for them both.

"Why not just post them to Facebook or Tumblr?" Chloe had asked as she followed Max down one of the store's few aisles. "Shit's free, dude."

"It's not about the money, Che," Max had said firmly, surprising Chloe with her seriousness over what seemed like something trivial, "This'll be tactile. You can feel it in your hands, touch the photos with your fingers. It'll be..intimate. Just for you and me."

 _Wow. You really thought about this,_ Chloe had thought as Max went straight to work on them the second they crossed the Caulfields' threshold in the brownstone. Chloe had sat and watched for a bit before breaking out her cellphone.

 **Chloe: Yo! Rach?**

 **Rachel: Putting the Max-fest on pause?**

 **Chloe: U mad?**

 **Rachel: No. I'm glad you get to see her. Just concerned that it'll end badly for you.**

 **Chloe: ?**

 **Rachel: …Chlo, you're my friend so I feel obligated to tell you that you can be A LOT to handle sometimes.**

 **Chloe: …okay…**

 **Rachel: I'm serious. That girl doesn't know what she's getting into. You…you flip without any warning sometimes and it's not fun to be on the other end of that. YOU KNOW what I mean by that.**

 **Chloe: But it's Max…**

 **Rachel: Exactly. What happens when she does something and you take it hella wrong? You pushed her away once. I just want you to be careful that you don't do it again, Chloe. She obviously means a lot to you**

 **Chloe: so you're telling me to not fuck it up**

 **Rach: GTG, but yeah. So DON'T fuck it up!**

"Asswipe," Chloe muttered with a smirk as she pocketed her phone and resumed looking through their photos. Photos of their time at the Space Needle, Local 360, and the EMP Museum littered the coffee table's surface. Chloe picked up a shot that was new to her. "When did you take this, Max? There's only the one of this pic."

The shot was set in the monorail, a slight lens flare coming from where the Sun had shone through the window she was seated next to. Realizing that it was the only illumination, Chloe surmised that Max had covered the Polaroid camera's flash with her hand when she took the picture. _Sneaky sneaky_ , Chloe thought as she looked at herself in the photograph. She was leaning against the window, a faint reflection of an excited grin on her face as she pressed her hands against the glass and kneeled in her seat. Turned away from Max, Chloe had been oblivious to the brunette snapping a shot of her totally unawares. Something about her unguarded nature in the photo rattled Chloe, and without thinking she pocketed the photo in her jacket before getting to her feet.

"She's got enough pictures," Chloe said to herself, trying to wrap her head around why that picture disturbed her so much, "She won't notice one missing, right? Right." _Why am I doing this? What's so scary about it?_ Chloe was scared deep down of what the photo represented; an abandonment of everything that had brought her to where she is now, Chloe's vulnerability was her worst enemy. Realizing that in just over a day she'd be gone from Seattle, Chloe felt herself begin to withdraw. _Fucking stop! It's Max, for Chrissakes. You don't know when you might get this chance again, and you've come too far to stop._

 _But what if she hurts me?_

 _What if she leaves me again?_

Rubbing at her temples, Chloe headed into the bathroom to look for aspirin when she spied an orange pill bottle with Max's name printed on it. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Chloe hesitated only a moment before snatching the bottle out of the medicine cabinet. Chloe made to close it when she saw herself in the mirror, invading Max's privacy by rummaging through her medication. _I already had her weed. This isn't weed, though, and she might notice if I take something. Ugh, I just need to chill!_ Letting her frustration out through gritted teeth, Chloe tossed the bottle only to whisper "Fuck!" as the lid popped off and pills went flying everywhere. Getting on her knees, Chloe began to search the floor for all the tablets she had spilled. Grabbing the bottle, Chloe began to replace the pills as she caught the drug's name.

"Tramadol? Jesus, Max, you're on fucking Tramadol?" Chloe asked aloud, reaching up to lock the door as she read the bottle, "Take one tab as needed for SEVERE ANXIETY. Jesus Christ…"

Hands shaking, Chloe finished collecting the pills as she made to close the bottle up when she pulled a single pill out and put it in her pocket. Chloe wasn't fully aware of what she had done, knowing only that she might live to regret that. _Actions have consequences, Chloe Price. You're gonna hella regret that. But I might need it. For Max, yeah?_ Not entirely convincing herself, Chloe unlocked the bathroom door and jumped at the sight of a half-asleep Max rubbing her eyes as she waited for Chloe to get out of the bathroom.

"Max! _Heyyyyy_ , you're awake," Chloe said, her voice trembling slightly as a nervous laugh escaped her lips, "What's the plan for tonight, yo?"

"Meh," Max mumbled, putting a finger to Chloe's lips as she went into the bathroom and closed the door. Hearing the shower start to run, Chloe shrugged and fidgeted in front of the door before pulling the pill out. _You fucking asshole. You took her medication because you just want to get high, to escape. You're so scared of your feelings getting hurt that you might end up doing the damage yourself. Fucking idiot_. Huffing, Chloe felt a stab of disgust towards herself as she threw the pill in the kitchen's trash can and put the picture she'd taken back on the coffee table. _I'll just ask her about that solitary photo. Yeah, I'll_ ask _and not be a piece of shit. Is this what Rach meant? Am I_ that _self-destructive?_ Chloe knew the answer was "yes", but she didn't want to admit it. Instead, she pulled her phone out and went back to the balcony.

 **Chloe: Rach?**

 _No answer._

 **Chloe: …Mom?**

 **Joyce: Hey, Chloe. I've got a question for you.**

 **Chloe: uh, okay? I really need to talk to you.**

Chloe nearly dropped her phone over the balcony railing when it rang instead of chirped, Joyce electing to call her instead of message. Nervous about what the change in communication might entail, Chloe tapped the phone icon to answer and put the phone on speaker.

"Mom? Why didn't you just-"

"Chloe, where the hell are you?" Joyce asked, her voice strained with a combination of weariness and frustration, "You at the junkyard? There's a mess in the garage, beer smell in the whole damn house. Never mind that my wine is gone and so is a 12-pack of David's beer. You…You didn't drink _all_ of that, did you?"

"What? _No_ , Mom, I didn't drink all of _that_ ," Chloe snapped, rolling her eyes as judgement for her booze binge came far earlier than she had expected, "I had a few beers…and your wine. Look, it's hard for me to be alone. Rachel's gone for the whole summer and the quiet was just too much."

"Chloe, I'm not mad," Joyce said, Chloe hearing her mom sigh over the phone, "I'm just…You're only 18. The tattoos and all that I can work with. Hell, even the hair dye is fine in all honesty. But drinking, let alone that much? Honey, you need help. Now tell me where you are."

"…I'm in Seattle. With Max."

"…What? Max Caulfield?"

"Yeah. I texted her a yesterday and she picked me up. We're at her place in Seattle. You should see it, Mom. She's in a chill brownstone and she's inked up, too. She's…she's Max."

"Can you put her on?" Joyce's voice sounded thin, Chloe's eyes darting back in forth as her nervousness increased.

"She's in the shower-"

"Che? Who you talking to?" Chloe heard Max ask as she came out of the bathroom in a towel. _Fuck! Shitty timing, Max!_

"..Ugh. Hang on, Joyce. She's right here," Chloe said as she held out her phone in Max's direction and mouthed _My Mom_ to an alarmed Max. Waving Chloe off, Max backpedaled as Chloe walked over to the brunette and irritatingly shoved the phone in Max's chest. Feeling Max let out a little squeak and seeing the pained look on her face, Chloe instantly regretted her action but Max quickly took the phone and went back into the bathroom before. Hearing the door lock, Chloe realized that Max _hadn't_ locked it when she was in the shower.

"Fuck nice one, Chloe," she said to herself. Putting a hand to her forehead. Chloe rolled her eyes at her own immaturity. Chloe walked sullenly over to the leather chair opposite the Caulfields' couch and fell into it. Sitting cross-legged in the seat, Chloe's head was lowered as she fought back tears. Her body shuddering under the weight of her rapidly shifting moods, Chloe was sad about Max and her health, angry at everybody, and depressed that the day had gone from amazing to absolute shit in what felt like a blink.

Hearing the bathroom door open after what felt like hours to Chloe, the bluenette looked up and nearly caught her phone in the face as a pissed-off Max threw it across the living room straight at her. _What the fuck?! Oh, shit._ Chloe could make out a faint bruise where she had shoved the phone on the little brunette girl, and Max's quick breathing suggested that her anxiety was starting to rise. Muttering at herself deprecatingly, Chloe lifted herself up and called after Max. Seeing the brunette stopped mid-step in the bathroom made Chloe freeze in place. _She's shaking. Is she cold, or pissed?_

"You don't have to be so mean, Chloe," Max said in a wavering voice, turning her head slightly. Chloe could make out redness in Max's eyes from behind wet chestnut hair, "You left a _bruise_."

"I'm…I'm sorry, Max. I'm an asshole, sometimes. You didn't deserve that," Chloe said dejectedly, her head downcast as she crossed the distance between them. Chloe just wanted to wrap her arms around Max and hold the brunette, shield her from everything. _Everything, including me_ , Chloe thought as she lifted her head up, "I'm just so fucked up. I'm happy, seeing you, but I'm also hella worried because you're getting into parts of me that I locked away _because_ of you."

"You're shitty at pleading your case, Chloe," Max's flat tone alerted Chloe that her attempt at explaining herself was falling apart, "You think you're the only one scared? I've relived what you said to me when I left Arcadia Bay so many nights that my parents get scared when I bring you up. Do you know how fucked up it to hear your best friend, someone you _love_ , tell you to 'go fuck yourself and _die'_ on the last day you think you'll ever see her?"

"Max, I was a kid. I didn't-"

"I was a kid, too!" Chloe visibly flinched at the outburst of rage that emanated from the brunette facing away from her, small hands clenched into bone-white fists. "I was a kid…and you fucked with me like that! You broke my goddamn heart!"

Chloe backpedaled as Max turned and walked toward her, the brunette glaring at the bluenette before she quickly crossed the distance Chloe was trying to create.

"You wished me dead, but I _still_ waited. How healthy is that? I _still_ love you, but don't think that I'll put up with _any_ bullshit like that ever again. I'm not a fucking puppy, and I'm not the same girl from four years ago. Therapy and drugs will only work so much, Chloe Price. You're not the only one who gets hella pissed the fuck off."

 _Am I_ , Chloe thought as Max stared at her with gritted teeth for a few more seconds before retreating into her bedroom, _Am I one of the reasons she has such extreme anxiety problems? Did I help in fucking up her health?_ Snapping out of her head as Max slammed the bedroom door shut, Chloe sniffled and slid against a wall so that she was sitting in the hallway. Chloe stared into space as the smiling girl that she'd known four years ago dissolved in a scream of pain that emanated from a wounded, present-day Max. She didn't care at that moment who heard; for the first time in years, Chloe Price _wanted_ to cry. She needed to feel something, and didn't care what it was.

"Fucking Goddamnit." Chloe's cracking voice matched how she felt, her body shaking from how powerful her sobs were. _That wasn't_ just _from the phone. That was her doing what I've done every time she came up for four years; Max just tried to hate me, even if only for a second. I've…I've ruined_ everything.

Unsteady and weak, having sat on the floor for nearly half an hour until her eyes were sore from crying, Chloe took a few deep breaths to stop her sobbing and leaned against the wall to right herself. Getting up slowly, Chloe wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket and headed towards the hallway where she'd left her boots. Looking back at the closed bedroom door, Chloe rolled her eyes in resignation as she remembered that her suitcase was in Max's room. _Max might just mail me my clothes, or she could just toss them. Either way, it doesn't matter. Damage is done; I guess we are, too._ Slipping her feet into the combat boots, Chloe put a hand to her hair and remembered that her beanie was currently in use by Max. Sighing, Chloe made sure she had everything she'd absolutely need to hit the road when Max's bedroom door creaked from being opened slightly. Looking across the apartment, Chloe saw fingertips holding onto the door and a silhouette of Max watching her from the shadows of her bedroom.

"Where are you going?" a voice asked her, tremulous and saddening. _Max, just let me go. This…this was a mistake. A beautiful mistake, but so fucking wrong._

"Home, I guess. I don't want to cause any more damage than I already have, and I'm afraid I'll just hurt you further," Chloe said, sliding her hands into her back pockets as she anxiously rocked on the heels of her boots. _Please let me go._

"…You're hurting me now by leaving me. You're dropping me again," Max said in whimpering tone as she came out of her darkened room. Dressed in the same clothes as earlier, Max tugged absently at the beanie she was wearing. _My beanie_ , Chloe thought as her heart was on the verge of completely breaking. "I'm upset, Chloe, but I'm not willing to give up. Are you?"

Chloe wanted to scream an emphatic "NO" to Max, wanted to run and tell the brunette girl that she would do everything in her power to make all four years up to her if Max would help with all the pain she felt. Chloe took a step forward and felt a dizzy spell hit her hard as her heart thundered in her chest. _What's going on?_ Chloe thought as she fell to her knees, lazily lifting her head to see Max running towards her in slow-motion. _Heh, even my body's giving up on me…_

"Chloe!" Max yelled as she caught the bluenette before Chloe collapsed entirely. Hearing Max call out to her, Chloe came out of her half-conscious state only to look up at Max with tears cascading down her cheeks and a faint smile playing at her lips.

"Max, I-I'm so sorry. Sorry for everything. I'm just so scared that this is all just a dream. I don't want to wake up and find you gone again. I can't go through that again. Please…need me as much as I need you," Chloe heard herself say, Max taking her shaking blue-nailed hand before it could reach the other girl's freckled face.

"I do, Che. I-I need you so damn much, but I can't be hurt like that again and I'm kinda scared of you," Max's admission made Chloe's lower lip tremble. _She's scared of me_ , Chloe thought before seeing Max's expression change from concern to worry, "I don't want to let you go. I love you, but I'm terrified of you flipping on me."

"I won't, Max! I promise I won't!" Chloe cried out as she lifted herself up, feeling Max's breath on her face from their close proximity.

"Y-You can't promise me that, Chloe!" Max said, sniffling as she joined Chloe in crying.

"I _can_ , Max! I'll get sad, I'll get depressed. I get angry, irritable, and hurt; I will do my fucking best to not bring that down on you. Do you hear me, Max Caulfield?" Chloe said as Max gently helped her up.

"…I can go easier on you," Max's shaking, soft voice easing the fear in Chloe's eyes a little, "I never e-expected you to be perfect, Chloe. I-I'm sure as hell not. You can't fuck with my emotions anymore, though. You want to joke? S'fine. But I _will_ know when you're intentionally trying to h-hurt me, Chloe Price, and I won't accept petty bullshit like that. _Period_."

Chloe was both relieved at another opportunity with Max and terrified at the dead seriousness of Max's ultimatum. _Call it what it is, Chloe. She just called you on all your bullshit and gave you a one-time warning. You're still ready to go. You could get up, walk away, and never worry about Max ever again. It'd be easier on you, and you still have Rachel back in Arcadia Bay. It isn't like you would be alone._

 _So…why aren't I leaving?_

"I…," Chloe said, her voice cracking from the strain of her multiple bouts of crying and the emotions that were pressing at her, "I love you, Max. Don't let me run."

Chloe thought she might sob again as Max smiled with tears in her eyes with arms outstretched. Shuffling over, still half-seated in Max's lap, Chloe hooked her arms around Max's waist as the smaller girl held her. Feeling Max give her several small kisses on the head with shaky breath, Chloe clutched at the brunette's hoodie with balled fists as Max rocked her slowly.

Once both girls had managed to get to their feet, Max had gone back into the bathroom only to come out a moment later. Taking a deep breath and shaking her limbs as though she were warming up, Max went to the fridge and pulled out two Cokes. Tossing one at Chloe, Max popped her soda open and drank half the can down before setting it on the kitchen island. Chloe watched as Max leaned against the island with a pensive look on her face. _Guess we both have some things to learn_ , Chloe thought as she sipped at her own soda. Max was just as beaten up as Chloe was; the bluenette understood that now, mentally chastising herself about the way she'd come to realize it. Leaning herself against the leather couch's back, Chloe looked down and traced her thumb around her Coke can's rim as she waited anxiously for Max to say something. They had been quiet for nearly an hour; sitting in the living room, moving about the apartment together, standing on the balcony as they both smoked. Chloe had gone through three cigarettes while Max had toked on a joint, not offering Chloe a puff this time around as she stared straight ahead while the bluenette watched from her peripheral vision.

"Max?" Chloe asked, her voice surprising her by how meek it sounded, "You okay?"

"…I needed to take some medication for my anxiety," Max said, waving a hand at Chloe reassuringly as she still braced herself against the kitchen island, "Just waiting for it to kick in, that's all."

"The-"

"The Tramadol? Yeah, Chloe, the Tramadol. I count my pills, you know." Max didn't admonish her, the brunette's tone more calm than Chloe had expected. "Did you take it? I mean, did you _take_ it?"

"…I pitched it," Chloe lowered her head as she felt ashamed of herself for stealing Max's anxiety medicine. "It's a shitty thing to do, and I regretted it the second I did. I just need an escape. Everything is so heavy right now that it's really hard to breathe sometimes."

Looking up to see Max nodding sympathetically, Chloe felt the pressure in her chest lighten just enough that the pain wasn't as bad. Chloe watched Max push off from the kitchen island as before walking over to her in the living room. Max looked into each of Chloe's eyes individually and but a couple fingers to the bluenette's wrist. _Is she examining me?_ Brow furrowed, Chloe opened her mouth to speak further only to watch Max walk down the hall and into her bedroom. Returning almost immediately, Max was carrying her black pencil bag and a small baggie in her free hand.

"Come on." Not a command, but not a suggestion, Max opened the sliding door and motioned for Chloe to step outside with her.

"Sure." Chloe walked past Max, the brunette closing the door behind her as she joined Chloe outside. Chloe wanted Max to hug her, to touch her. After she'd helped Chloe up from her fainting spell, Max had stayed physically distant to the bluenette's fear. _She's never really been comfortable around me_ , Chloe thought as she leaned against the railing and tried to catch her breath. Closing and opening her eyes in succession as she worried that she might collapse again, Chloe almost didn't see the fresh joint being held near her face.

"You need it, Chloe," Max said, her face a mask as she held the joint out for Chloe to take. "Go on. It's stronger than my prescribed stuff. It'll help."

"You sure?" Chloe asked, though her inquiry wasn't in regards to the weed.

"Dog, Chloe. I'm not going to _stay_ pissed," Max said, lighting her own joint as she lit the other one in her hand and passed it to Chloe. Chloe noticed the slight look of awkwardness on Max's face, how the brunette couldn't meet her gaze. "I-If you don't smoke this, though, I _will_ be pissed at the wastefulness."

Reaching out for the joint, Chloe's fingers brushed against Max's and both girls took in a sharp breath as though something shocked them. Tensing up, Chloe looked over at Max as the brunette held a joint in each hand, one lowered to her side and the other held out to Chloe. Looking away from Max in embarrassment, Chloe took the joint only to feel a small hand latch onto her wrist. Chloe's face went red as she watched Max from the corner of her eye; Max came over and leaned against Chloe as both girls stood by the railing.

"Is this…is this okay?" Max asked nervously while taking a drag of her pot, looking up at Chloe with cheeks flushed.

"O-Of course it is," Chloe stammered, bringing the joint Max had offered to her lips.

Toking up, Chloe felt a calm begin to eat away at her nerves as the marijuana's effects took hold. Looking out over the cityscape behind the building opposite the brownstone, Chloe watched the sky start to turn amber. _Sunset. It'll be dark soon, and then I'll be gone tomorrow. Tomorrow…shit,_ Joyce _…_

"What did you talk to Joyce about?" Chloe asked, blowing pot smoke out her pursed lips.

"More like I was talked _at._ At first, anyway," Max said with a snort, "I think my saving grace was that you were staying with _me_. Pretty sure Joyce would have come up herself to get you if I hadn't convinced her that I actually _am_ Max Caulfield. After that, Joyce was really nice. She asked how I was and what I'd been up to. _Then_ came talk about you."

"Oh," Chloe's flat tone caught Max's attention, the brunette smiling as she patted Chloe's shoulder.

"Relax, Chloe. She's pacified. I told her I'd bring you back tomorrow, but you should prepare yourself for trouble when you get back. I guess your stepdad isn't too happy that you took off with a mess in his den and a wad of cash in your pocket."

"That's grocery money Joyce gave me!" Chloe protested, slamming an open palm on the railing, "What an asshole."

"Don't shoot the messenger. Slaps, punches, dropkicks, and noogies are also expressly forbidden," Max teased, rubbing out the stub of her joint. Max tossed the stub into a flowerpot sitting in one corner of the balcony, filled with kitty litter to absorb the smell of Max's medication. "Hey."

"Mmm?" Chloe looked down at Max, the brunette peering up at her from underneath her chestnut hair. "S'up, Max?"

"…Want to get out of here?" Max asked, looking down at her tear and snot-stained hoodie, "I need to change anyway, and there's somewhere I'd like to take you if you're up for it."

"Yes, _please_ ," Chloe flicked her joint before dropping it into the flowerpot, "What you have in mind?"

"Well," Max said as she eyed Chloe with a sly expression, the girls heading back inside before Max looked up at the sky through the sliding door's glass, "Doesn't _look_ like rain. I should bring a long-sleeve shirt, yeah?"

"Wouldn't hurt, probably," Chloe shrugged, "You were saying, Max?"

"Yeah. So," Chloe followed Max into her room, looking away as Max unzipped the hoodie and stripped her jacket and shirt off before going into her closet, "Heard of The Skylark?"

"Music hangout, right?" Chloe asked, her curiosity piqued, "You're taking me there?"

Max came back out from the closet. Her jean shorts and stockings unchanged, she had put on a plain black t-shirt with a red flannel shirt tied around her waist. Spinning around, Max looked at Chloe with an eyebrow raised. _Oh, she wants my opinion_ , Chloe thought as she feebly gave Max a thumbs up.

"That's it?" Max asked, "What if I want to pick up a cute girl?"

"Well, that depends," Chloe said, crossing her arms as she raised an eyebrow of her own at Max, "What did you have in mind?"

"Hmm," Max said, tapping her chin with a finger as she looked away in feigned thought, "Tall. I like standing on my tip-toes for a kiss; it's kinda sweet. Also, she has to be something of a 'bad grrl', I guess. She has to have a sweet side, though, or it'd never work…"

"That all?" Chloe asked, her wording becoming terser as Max continued her teasing.

"Oh!" Max snapped her fingers. "I'm a sucker for blondes!"

"What the f-" Chloe blurted out, cut off by Max's laughter as the brunette came up to her and put a hand on Chloe's cheek.

"Blue hair is just as good. _Maybe_ even better," Max said, her eyes shining momentarily before pulling her hand away. "Come on. I need my shoes and we could probably both use some food at this point. It is about that time."

Chloe followed Max to the front door, the brunette slipping her boots on as they headed out. Chloe could still feel the warmth from Max's hand on her cheek as she placed her own hand over where the brunette's had been. She wanted that warmth back; Chloe was afraid it would never be as strong as it had only hours ago. Hearing Max call after her, the other girl already having crossed the street, Chloe shouted back as she ran across to where Max was waiting. _Here we go._

* * *

Chloe didn't want to push her luck. _Max still looks tense. Fuck, I'm still hella tense. We've been making up, making out, and freaking out for two days. How the hell could I have expected some happy ending cliché?_ Brushing her hand against Max's as they sat in a booth at The Skylark, Chloe turned her head towards the stage while keeping an eye on the brunette sitting across from her. Chloe saw Max watching from the corner of her eye and nearly shuddered in relief when the corner of Max's mouth turned upward into the start of a smile.

"You want to hold hands?" Max asked, her voice and tone both calm despite the slight widening of her eyes.

"Only if you want to, dude. If not, just as cool," Chloe ran fingers through her blue hair, combing it back only for it to fall back to where it had been. _Just be cool, Chloe._

"Is it really 'just as cool'?"

"…No…" Falling for Max's bait, Chloe's scowl only increased when Max sniggered. _What the fuck happened to being cool?! Fuck!_

Chloe felt a small gasp escape her as slim fingers wound around her own, Max holding onto her blue-nailed hand with a light grip that gave no inclination of the brunette's thoughts away. _Chloe, you_ cannot _fuck this up. You can't_ , Chloe tried to motivate herself. _Look at her. Max is amazeballs and you're_ this close _to striking the fuck out._ Looking down at the hand holding her own, Chloe wanted more; holding onto the hand with a greater determination, Chloe heart dropped for a split-second when Max disengaged her hand before latching back onto Chloe's immediately after.

"Don't push your luck, Price," Max said, the faint smile from earlier taking on a playful quality.

"I'm not pushing _shit_ , Mad Max. I'm just matching your speed."

"Uh-huh," Max said as she raised a hand toward the waitress heading in their general direction. Approaching with pen in hand, the waitress's face had been obscured in shadow until it was illuminated by the dim light. "Oh… _fuck_ …"

"What do you want, Max?" Victoria asked, pen twirling around. Her typical ensemble of high-end clothes exchanged for a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt with The Skylark's logo emblazoned on its chest, Victoria would have been completely unrecognizable if it weren't for the hostility in her posture and the unmistakable condescending tone of her voice. "Caulfield! Hey, I _said_ 'What do you want'."

"O-Oh! Uhh, I'll have a Coke," Max stammered, her surprise getting the better of her before she looked over at Chloe for reassurance, "Uh, _two_ Cokes, a basket of the hand-cut fries, and…two orders of Rockin' Rooster chicken strips."

Chloe watched Victoria menacingly as the blonde took down everything that Max had said with a series of short pen strokes before noticing that Victoria was watching her from underneath her partially-hooded eyes.

"Problem?" The strain on Victoria's grin only added to how malevolent she was coming off to both Max _and_ Chloe.

"Vic… _you_ have a job?" Max asked with an incredulous tone, "I mean, it's cool that you do. I just never thought-"

"Please, Max. Don't strain yourself," Victoria snapped before growing uneasily quiet, "Look. My dad's promoting the band that's playing tonight and he thought it would be good for me to get a job. He knows the owner of…this 'place', so now I work here a few nights a week. Can't stay past 9pm, though, just like you twee hipsters. No _minors_ after 9pm. I'll…I'll be back with your orders when they're ready."

"The Cokes?" Chloe asked, quirking an eyebrow as Victoria's smile became brighter from her gritted teeth.

" _Of course_ ," Victoria uttered, her finely manicured hands clenched into fists at her sides as she stomped off. Chloe broke into a laugh as Max watched Victoria go.

"How the fuck do you deal with _that_ , Max?" Chloe asked, jerking a thumb in the direction Victoria had gone. "She's fucking 'Evil, Elitists Barbie'. Seriously… _ev-illll._ "

Chloe's signals became confused when Max sighed as she put a hand to one of her temples. _She's just tired. We were already beat_ before _our fight. Our first fight, and hopefully the last one_ that _bad_. _Max is hella tougher than I remember, or give her credit. Heh, I could still take her. Maybe._ Seeing a different waitress return with their soft drinks, Chloe broke into a new fit of laughter as Max weakly joined in. Looking over at Max from the posters she had been checking out, Chloe's amusement dropped as her concern grew over the brunette's glazed expression.

"Max? Dude, you okay?" Chloe asked, reaching out and putting her hand over the weak-looking brunette's.

"It's just the Tramadol kicking in, Che," Max said, slipping her nickname for Chloe in to Chloe's silent pleasure, "H-Hey, d'you think that you could drive when we head back? This…this stuff kinda makes me loopy."

"You don't even need to ask, Maxaroni," Chloe said, her tone softening before the worn girl sitting across from her, "I will never not have your back again."

"You're really sweet sometimes, y'know that?" Max asked Chloe, the flushness of her face both endearing to the bluenette and worrisome. _Is it her meds? She looks hella out of it._ "Hey, I'm going to go use the bathroom."

Chloe watched Max slowly get to her feet after she slid out of the booth and gingerly walk towards the back of the club. Sipping at her soda, Chloe couldn't help but feel deflated at how sour things had gone. _Rachel warned me; she told me how I can fuck things up so easily. I need a pep-talk_. Chloe pulled out her cellphone and began to type, her expression intense from needing Rachel's advice and support.

 **Chloe: Rach!**

 **Chloe: Hey! Rachel!**

 **Rachel: U rang**

 **Chloe: I kinda fucked things up**

 **Rachel: of course you did**

 **Chloe: fuk u 2, buddy**

 **Chloe: sista, I am in need of some advice**

 **Chloe: I never really thought about how Max might feel about me. Aside from the mushy love stuff.**

 **Rachel: Go on**

 **Chloe: She…she got epically pissed. I lashed out a bit, and when she pushed back I almost ran off.**

 **Rachel: Goddamnit chloe I told u!**

 **Chloe: :(**

 **Rachel: NO EMOJI**

 **Chloe: sorry. Old habits, yea?**

 **Rachel: ugh. Is she there?**

Chloe looked up from her phone and felt her hand squeeze it as she tried to make a fist. At the bar across from where she sat, Max was in a heated discussion with Victoria. Arms waving about in various gestures before both girls poked fingers into each other's sternums, Victoria and Max matched glares with each other before Victoria backed down to Chloe's surprise. Seeing Max storm off from Victoria and towards their booth, Chloe almost pocketed her phone when she remembered that Rachel wanted to talk to her.

"Hey?" Chloe asked, her smile feeble under the tenseness of Max's person. "Max? Hey, dude. What's going on?"

"Forget it," Max huffed before looking over at Chloe with a questioning smirk, "Uh, you're going to break your phone if you squeeze any harder."

"Yeah, heh. My friend Rachel…she wants to talk to you," Chloe's tone was shy as she held her phone out for Max before gently setting it on the table. _Remember what happened last time, jackass? You bruised her with_ a fucking phone _._ Chloe looked up from the phone to see the slight frown on her face. _Max remembers, too. What was I expecting? It was only a couple hours ago, Jesus fuck._ Max reached out slowly and took the phone as a new message flashed across the screen.

 **Rachel: Hello? You text me and disappear? Nice one, Chlo**

 **Chloe: Um, this is Max**

 **Chloe: Hi…?**

 **Rachel: HEY! *smiles***

 **Rachel: I was wondering when she was going to let me talk to you**

 **Rachel: she's so fucking stingy**

Chloe's eyes narrowed in suspicion when Max broke into a fit of giggles as she typed away on the bluenette's phone before handing it back and switching to her own. _Wait. Did you just copy Rachel's info? No, I need a transcript!_ _Where's my deets, my insider knowledge? Shit._ Chloe heard her phone go off and saw that Max and Rachel were texting each other in a conference message, Chloe still logged in as a third member of the discussion.

 **Rachel: so nice to finally meet you, Max. kinda.**

 **Rachel: Chloe doesn't shut the fuck up about you, for the most part**

 **Max: really?**

 **Rachel: *hugs* really**

 **Chloe: shush!**

 **Max: no**

 **Rachel: no**

 **Chloe: …**

 **Rachel: I'm going to be your couple's counselor tonight**

 **Chloe: we don't need a counselor**

 **Max: uh, yeah we do…and I'm not so sure we're a couple just yet, Chloe**

 **Chloe: brb Rachel. Max, IRL talk?**

"What the fuck do you mean that we aren't a couple 'just yet'?" Chloe asked as she tapped her fingertips onto the table, "We…we told each other that we loved each other, Max. We've been making out so damn much I can fucking taste you on my breath-"

"Chloe!" Max's horrified tone and sudden blushing might have warmed Chloe's affections further, but the bluenette also knew that she might have overstepped a bit.

"…Sorry. You know what I mean, though."

Chloe and Max grew eerily silent as Victoria returned with their food, dropping the three baskets of hot fries and spicy chicken strips with a sequence of thuds before walking away. Chloe noticed that Victoria didn't look either of them in the face, but paid it little mind before redirecting her attention to Max.

"Talk, Max."

"…We haven't even gone out on a date, Chloe. I've seen you for two days out of _four years_. Never mind the baggage that's between the two of us; we're also both different from how we remember each other. I _do_ love you, and I want to be with you. _You_ have to be patient with me, though. Okay? I'm not running off or hiding; I just want to take my time with this, go in at a pace that won't…won't overwhelm me…"

"You mean, like, health-wise?" Chloe asked, Max answering with a subtle nod, "Max…I'd never do anything to fuck up your health. Babe, your anxiety attacks and panic attacks scare the shit out of me." When Chloe noticed that Max didn't react positively or negatively towards her use of "Babe", she continued.

"I-I know that I probably caused some of it, some of your problems. I can't take that away. All I can do is make sure to try my damnedest and not fucking make things worse. But you have to give me a chance for that to happen, Max."

"I _am_ g-giving you a chance, Chloe," Max said, the pain on her face quite clear as she pulled her hand free of Chloe's and crossed her arms, "I'm just so fucked up. I've been hurt so much; I don't want to be hurt anymore."

The echo of her own thoughts coming from Max rang through Chloe's head, the bluenette dawning on the fact that her little Max Caulfield _wasn't_ pushing her away but rather trying to formulate some means of letting her in. _She wants to be with me; she just doesn't know how. This is hardcore in how fucked up it is; I'm not sure I know how either, Max._

"Che, is it okay if I talk to Rachel? In private?" Max asked as she held up her phone. "I…I need her advice and her knowledge base on some things."

"Sure. You want to…oh, you're going to talk-talk. Yeah, I'll wait here. Go. Talk, gossip, plot. I'm not going anywhere, Max," Chloe said as she leaned back into her seat, watching forlornly as Max headed into the back once more. Switching her phone off, Chloe picked at some of the food before taking a long slurp from her Coke. "Fuck, that shit's hot! What the-"

"You need to be fucking nicer to her," a voice said from behind, cutting Chloe off as the person speaking came and sat down in Max's seat. "I'm serious. You fuck with her and I'll kill you."

"What the fuck? Shouldn't you be wiping tables or some shit?" Chloe asked Victoria as the blonde glared at her venomously. _What the fuck is_ your _problem? Aside from everything, evidently._

"Shut up and listen to me. You're going to be nice to her, treat her like she's a princess or whatever. You put her through hell and I spent years helping to piece her back together," Chloe's eyes widened as Victoria continued, the blonde jabbing a finger into Chloe's chest, "Max…Max and I used to be friends. _Close_ friends. I don't want to see her get hurt by someone who walked all over her years ago only to show up and demand attention like nothing happened."

"That's _not_ what is happening, and whose business is it of yours what she and I do? You _were_ her friend. You were her 'close friend'. Now you're…wait, what did you mean by 'close'?" Chloe's hands began to tremble underneath the table as she saw Victoria's face redden.

"That's none of your business," her voice curt, Victoria folded her arms across her chest and looked away, "…Nothing ever came out of it."

Chloe was about to speak up, a cruelty rising up in her, when Victoria looked at her with a pained face that took the breath out of Chloe's lungs.

"She couldn't like anybody else because she couldn't think of anyone but you, you fucking piece of shit!" Victoria's yell attracted some of the patrons' attention, but neither her or Chloe noticed as they locked eyes, "She never even _noticed_ me the way I watched over her. You fucking strut back in after four years and I _saw_ how hurt she looked when you came in! You'll only break her heart again, _Chloe_ , and when you do I will be at Blackwell right next to you so that your life can become a _real_ living hell."

Chloe's jaw dropped partly as Victoria shot out of the booth and headed for the kitchen, faint sniffling sounds trailing behind the blonde. _She…She liked Max? Did she love Max, too? Icky Vicky? Did Max call her that because Victoria tried to make a move? No, no fucking way._

"No. Bitchtoria even said that she never stood a chance against me," Chloe tried to sound confident only for it to fizzle as her imagination went crazy over the space of Max's four years in Seattle, "No, nonono. Max…Max waited for me. She said, Max said. She came all the way back to get me. She said she loves me…" Chloe began to let out a faint whimper as she absently rocked in her seat, eyes wild as she lost herself in fears of abandonment and jealousy.

Stumbling as she made her way out of the booth, Chloe brushed past some of the other customers on her way out the front door. _I can't breathe, I can't fucking feel_ anything _!_ Shielding her face against the sight of people waiting to get inside, Chloe took the return pass from the bouncer before barreling through the door marked "Exit Only". Her whole body shaking, Chloe came around the corner to the parking lot and crashed against the brick wall. Leaning her back against the rough surface, Chloe looked up to the evening sky and felt wetness hit her cheek. Holding out hand, waiting for rain to strike her, Chloe shook her head in exasperation when the wetness came again. _It's me. I'm crying. I'm raining._ Crouching down to squat against the wall, the bluenette pulled a pack of cigarettes from her jacket with a shaking hand. Watching the package fall to the ground, her fingers unable to stay still enough to hold onto her smokes, Chloe just sat trembling and looked at the pack of tobacco products.

"Chloe? Chloe!" Max cried out as she walked down the sidewalk and past the parking lot, her head turning from side to side. _I_ am _something of a ninja_ , Chloe mused, a weak smile playing across her lips as she stood up and walked around the car she was obscured by.

"Hey, Max," Chloe weakly said, clearing her throat to get the worried brunette's attention, "I said 'Hey, Max'!"

Max's head and body swiveled on point as she turned to look back the way she came and spotted a blue mess of hair peeking around a parked car along The Skylark's wall. Chloe hadn't seen Max look so worried in such a long time that she had confused Max's coming towards her as another round of the little hipster's rage. It wasn't until Max had been hugging her tightly for a few minutes that Chloe became aware of her surroundings and a voice managed to make its way out of her.

"You're…you're not mad?" Chloe asked, the softness of her tone giving away how wounded she was feeling.  
"Why would I be mad? Because you came outside? One of the waitresses saw you take off and let me know as I got back to our booth. I was _worried_. Caleb, the bouncer, said that you were shook up when you stormed through the door. Che…no, hey hey, don't cry. Don't cry, babe."

Chloe felt Max's hand on the nape of her neck as the smaller girl stood on her tip-toes to let Chloe bury her face in Max's shoulder. Weeping quietly, her tears wetting the fabric of Max's shirt, Chloe clutched at Max's sides as she refused to let Max go. Max patted Chloe's back until the bluenette pulled herself away.

"Can we go home?" Chloe asked, "I know that you wanted to chill here. This place looks hella fun, but I could use some quality Max to myself. If that's okay."

Max's reply was to give Chloe the keys to her jeep and a kiss on the cheek before she told the depressed bluenette that she would be right back. Electing to wait where she was standing, Chloe rubbed at reddened eyes with the sleeve of her jacket when she looked down the parking lot to see Victoria Chase watching her intently. Flipping the blonde off and getting a middle finger raised back at her as Victoria snuffed her cigarette out along the brick wall, Chloe's attention snapped back to the returning Max. Carrying a couple takeout containers, Max nudged at Chloe's arm with a shoulder before jerking her chin in the jeep's direction.

 **Author's Note:**

 **The Skylark _is_ pretty fun, but the typical crowd size is a hell of a lot bigger than I made it sound in this chapter. That said, the hand-cut fries are tasty and the Rockin Rooster chicken strips are spicy as f**k.**

 **In response to some people asking me about Victoria and Rachel, with Victoria's agenda revealed in this chapter, let me say this.**

 **Eheheheheh ;D**

 **If you think I'm done with** _ **that**_ **, you have no clue what** _ **I'm thinking.**_

 **Like with Fighters, which I will discuss, I can't portray Pricefield as a storybook-ish romance. They're not a fairy tale, especially in this story. They're flawed, both girls quick to anger and emotionally volatile. They're also tragically beautiful in that their love for each other has actually survived every wound, every blow, that are given and taken. I mean, if I'm going to extend this story so that it goes** _ **past**_ **Chloe's weekend visit I can't pull a "Happily Ever After…" and not feel grossed out. Oh, wait. Did I just** _ **spoil**_ **something?  
Eheheheheh.**

 **Sadly, if I'm getting invested in this I'm going to have to put Fighters on hold. I feel terrible because I was building a world I enjoyed with that story but Teenage Dirtbag is flowing out of my mind in the way my Vampire AU and Rebel Girl did; I sit down and find myself writing each chapter from beginning to end in a single go. Fighters is…it's a struggle at more times than I would like to admit.**

 **Fighters is on hiatus, but I** _ **will**_ **finish it. This story here is too invigorating to pass up. Different timeframe, different setting, and different takes on characters that I haven't tried before. Wait till Max stays the weekend with Chloe! I mean,** _ **come on**_ **!**

 **Read, review, and I'll see you for Part 4! It'll be up on Tuesday or Wednesday.**

 **Stay hella, Cinnamon Rolls**


	4. Chapter 4

**Teenage Dirtbag, Conclusion**

 **Part 4 – End & Start Again**

 **Song by Syd Matters**

Chloe Price wanted to think of this place as home so badly, but she knew that it wasn't hers. Stepping through the threshold of Max's home, the Caulfield residence, Chloe felt both comfortable and alien as the idea of her returning home tomorrow hit her in full force. Not as shaky at the thought as she had been since coming to Seattle in Max's ride, Chloe had come to accept that this weekend had to end. _Ending will only make it more important_ , Chloe thought to herself as she helped Max lay out the food from The Skylark, _This…this is nice. Just you and me, Max. Stupid? A bit. I just totally want you to myself tonight. Like when we were kids and sleep over at each other's houses._

"Hey, Space Case, you in there?" Max asked, grinning as Chloe stared off with her mouth hung open a little.

"Uh,what? Yeah, little fucker, I'm here," Chloe shook her head to clear her mind, "Beverage?"

"Just water for me," Max said as Chloe headed to the kitchen, "Help yourself to whatever. Except the wine – Mom's hardcore on that. She'd _kill me_ if it was opened."

"Don't feel like sour grapes anyway," Chloe mused while opening the fridge, "Water, you said? 'Kay. Hmm…decisions, decisions…"

"I'm serious, Che. _No. Wine._ Please don't get me in trouble. It'll be coming as it is, so I don't need more." That last statement piqued Chloe's interest.

"What'll you be in trouble for?"

"This unsanctioned visit from you, dork."

"Eh?"

"…You're not exactly on my mom's 'favorites list', Chloe. Therapy? Medication? Remember?"

"Oh." Chloe's voice went silent as she stood with the refrigerator door open. So excited in getting to come up to Seattle, getting to be with Max, Chloe hadn't even thought of _what_ Max would be dealing with after returning her to Arcadia Bay. _Mischievous Max Caulfield. Mischief Max? Max Mischief?_ "My bad…'Maximum Mischief'. Heh."

Chloe watched Max turn around in the couch to look at her over the cushioned backrest with an amused look on the brunette's face.

"Really? Hmm…," Max looked away pensively before smiling, "I kinda like that one, actually."

"Shit, can't use it then." Chloe pulled a couple hard ciders out from the bottom shelf. "Max, if you'd get in trouble for the wine…what are you going to do about all the booze we've drank?"

"Suffer, no doubt. The wine is pricey, so my mom is ridiculously over-protective."

"Eheheheh…"

"Chloe. I'm serious. Don't."

"Chillax, Max. I'm not touching Mama Caulfield's lady hooch." Chloe hopped over the couch's back and landed next to Max with cold bottles of cider in hand. "Scarf time?"

"Om nom nom."

"Dude, you seriously need to step away from the internet. Shit's rotting your brain."

"I saw your truck, Chloe. It's covered in meme stickers. For cereal, _you_ need to lay off the intertubes."

The food still relatively fresh, Chloe poured a generous spread of ketchup on top of her fries as she munched on a crispy chicken tender. _I forgot how spicy these were. Agh!_ Dropping the food back onto her plate, Chloe fumbled at one of her cider bottles with greasy fingers. _Open, you stupid bottle!_ Chloe thought as the spices began to make her eyes water. Hearing a chuckle, Chloe looked over to see Max eating her own chicken with a pointed laziness. _Oh, fuck you Maxine Caulfield. This shit's hella spicy! Fucking help!_ Acting as if she had read Chloe's mind, the bluenette let out a stifled sigh as Max reached over and popped the cider's cap off.

"Need me to bottle-feed you too, Chlo-Chlo?"

"…grahhh…shuf fup," Chloe said between chugs of her alcohol. _Trying to cool my mouth by chugging booze might not be the best idea_ … "You juf wanted meh to sthuffer, Maz."

Chloe glared as Max mimicked the way she'd been speaking between giggles. Chloe tried not to laugh as well, but began to snicker as Max began to get red in the face from her giggles escalating to full-blown hysterical laughs. Joining Max in the round of laughter, Chloe felt her eyes water again as she struggled to catch her breath from the laughter and the spicy food.

"You…You fucking jerk," Chloe said as she pushed Max, the brunette falling onto her side as she held her ribs from the laughter beginning to hurt her sides. Chloe thought that it was normal at first, "That's right. Laugh it up, you… _Max_?!"

Max was having trouble breathing, the red in her face darkening as her eyes began to water as they frantically stared at Chloe. Chloe was on the verge of freaking out, Max grabbing at her sides as she tried desperately to catch her breath. _Oh fuck, she's having an attack or hyperventilating or something! Wh-What do I do? What do I_ do _, Max?!_ Pulling Max's arms from her sides, Chloe turned the girl over so that she was lying on her side. Lying behind Max as she spooned the wheezing brunette, Chloe forced her tone to be one of reassuring calm as she rubbed at Max's back.

"Hey, Max. You need to calm down, sweetie. Shhh, shhh, just ease up. Okay? Can you do that for me? Pretty please. C'mon. Just ease on up, dude. That's it…that's it…come on down, Max," Chloe's tone was soft as she felt her own chest pounding as Max's breathing began to calm down. _Jesus fuck, Max. Just…fuck, dude._ Rubbing at Max's back until her friend's body went slack from the easing up of tension, Chloe wrapped her arms around Max's waist. Feeling Max's shaking hands hold her own, Chloe leaned her head into the back of Max's shoulder as she took deep breaths of her own. "You feeling better?"

"…Yeah…Sorry, Che," Max said, her face still a little red, though Chloe couldn't decide if it was from the exhaustion the hyperventilation had brought on or blushing from someone witnessing Max's attack.

"Don't apologize, sweetie. Just…just breathe, okay? You want me to get your water? You feel up for something to drink?" Chloe asked, not able to see the look of surprise in Max's voice at how tender the bluenette was acting or how the surprise gave way to contentment.

"I can get it," Max replied only to be pushed back onto her side as Chloe held her down with one hand while grabbing the glass of water with her other.

Running back into the kitchen, Chloe went through the drawers and cabinets until she found some leftover straws from trips to fast-food places the Caulfields had made. Ripping the straw out, Chloe dropped it into the glass as she walked hurriedly back over to the couch and a weary Max. Kneeling on the carpeted floor in front of Max, Chloe held the glass as she bent the straw toward the brunette's lips.

"Drink up, yo." Trying to lighten the mood, Chloe flashed Max a brilliant smile and saw Max's face redden even harder. "Are you about to have another attack? Hang on-"

"No. Not another attack. Can you…c-can you tilt the straw a bit more?" Max asked, her voice meek as she took the straw leaned toward her. Taking small sips, Max took a breath between each drink as she continued to calm down until her face was only slightly flushed. "T-Thanks, Chloe."

"Dude, you do _not_ have to thank me for that. I…I was hella worried. Seriously. _Really_ worried, Maxaroni," Chloe said as she brushed some hair out of Max's face, "You get like that even from laughing hard? _Was_ it an attack?"

"My doctor said I needed to watch my breathing, that's all. I-I hyperventilate easily," Max said, hiding her face with her hands, "Ugh, I'm so embarrassed…"

Chloe set the glass on the floor and slid back into the couch, resuming her spot behind Max. Reaching over to grab her plate, Chloe snickered as she set the plate on Max's head in jest and began to eat.

"You fucking cereal?" Max's voice was still a little strained, but Chloe could tell the brunette was trying not to laugh.

"Just getting' a rise out of you, Maximum Mischief," Chloe said, taking one of her fries in hand and lowering so that Max could have it. Feeling the fry catch between the brunette's teeth, Chloe smiled in satisfaction as she heard a hushed "Om nom nom" between chews come from the girl lying in front of her. "Can we watch something?"

"Like what?"

"Don't care. Your house, so I'll be nice and let you pick this _one_ time," Chloe offered, waving her hand with a flourish.

"Such chivalry," Max said with a light snicker, reaching out for the remote and a chicken tender of her own, "You can remove the plate from my head now, Che."

"I can? But what if I don't wanna…?"

" _Remove…the…plate."_

Smiling at the restoration of Max's humor, Chloe set the plate on Max's hip and grabbed one of her chicken tenders. Taking careful bites, Chloe took small breaths between each morsel to ensure that the spiciness didn't overwhelm her again. _Maybe I should get some milk_ , Chloe thought as Max selected _Princess Mononoke_ from the Caulfields' digital library. Chloe felt her heart lurch as Max snuggled back into her, the brunette's back coming against Chloe's chest. Glad that Max couldn't see her blushing, Chloe looked away bashfully as she felt her friend's warmth radiate. W _hoa, she's so warm._ Putting her hands to Max's back, Chloe smiled as she felt Max ease into her palms. _Yeah, Max, I like this too._

 _Princess Mononoke_ went along in silence, Max and Chloe lying together on the couch as the movie played through to the end credits. Chloe had barely paid any attention to the film, her attention riveted on Max as the brunette had incrementally loosened up. What had simply started as hands on Max's back escalated into Chloe massaging Max's shoulders and the nape of the brunette's neck. Hearing Max whimper at first, Chloe had stopped only to feel Max push into her hands again. _This is so fucking cool_ , Chloe thought as the blushing from earlier returned, _and I am_ so _fucking glad you can't see me, Maxaroni. Holy fuck, you're just so damn…hot…_

"Mmm, why'd you stop?" Hearing Max speak up, her voice surprisingly sultry for someone Chloe considered a "loveable, if not colossal, nerd". "What are you… _mmm_ , t-that's nice…"

Chloe had begun to give the nape of Max's neck light pecks, her lips faintly brushing against Max's skin. She wanted the closeness from before; their fight still weighed on Chloe and she was desperate to bridge the gap that had formed. Alternating between awkwardness and subtle intimacy like her currently kissing Max's neck, the two girls had mostly failed to get back into the sync achieved from being together the past two days. Feeling Max slowly move herself forward, Chloe's lips missed their target and she instinctively pressed herself into the back of the couch out of fear she'd done something wrong. _I can't let this weekend end on such a flat note. I need…I want…to do something nice for Max. But what_ can _I do_ …?

 _Wait…eheh, I can haz idea?_ Chloe thought with a mischievous grin spreading across her face, _I_ can _. Eheheh._

"Max?" Chloe asked, the brunette looking over her shoulder as she switched off the movie. Chloe smirked at how red Max's face looked which only made the brunette narrow her eyes menacingly.

"Yeah?" Max sounded tired, and rightfully so. _We've…_ you've _…had a hella tiring day, Max Caulfield. Let Chloe do something nice, okay?_ "What's up?"

"Can I borrow your keys?"

"…Why?"

"Just…just trust me, Max. Stay here and chill, or go to your room and nap. I won't be long, I swear. Just…It's a surprise."

The eyebrow that was visible to Chloe arching, Max looked at Chloe over her shoulder for a few seconds longer before reaching to the coffee table and passing her keys to the bluenette. Patting Max on the shoulder as she slid out from behind the smaller girl, Chloe practically ran to the where her boots and jacket were before shoulder-checking the door on her way out. Reaching the stoop, Chloe reached for her cigarettes before lowering her hand. She wasn't outside to smoke; Chloe had a purpose and she wanted to stay the course as far as her plan went. Running across the street, Chloe flipped off a passing cab as she narrowly avoided being hit. _Eat a dick, cab! I'm a woman on a mission!_

Pulling into the craft store's small parking lot, Chloe shut the jeep off and locked the driver's side door. The soft top already down and set up, Chloe looked up to see the sky get increasingly cloudy. Thinking about the rain from her dream, the meadow flashing before her eyes, Chloe worried for a moment that Max might fall asleep and _stay_ asleep until tomorrow. Spurred on by anxious need to hurry, Chloe ran around the building and into the store.

"Sorry, dude," Chloe said as she breezed past the cashier, a scowl on his face as he tapped at his watch, "If you want me outta your hair then _help_. I have a list. Well, it's in my fucking head…but there _is_ a list. Kinda. Fuck, will you just help a girl out?"

Walking hurriedly down the aisles, snatching a bag here and a container there, Chloe tossed the contents of her "master plan" into the basket she was holding onto as she quietly rattled off things she might need. Shaking her head to herself, oblivious to the cashier tailing her throughout her entire time shopping, Chloe almost yelled at the counter. Seeing the cashier come around her and to the register, Chloe huffed as she realized that he'd been following her. Eyeballing the frowning cashier, Chloe's hand shot out with a wad of crumpled dollars bills. Headed towards the door before the cashier could even start to count, Chloe ignored his protests.

"Keep the change!" Normally, Chloe would have scoffed at the idea of leaving cash behind. She still almost turned back to collect her change as the cashier counted out the money; Chloe groaned at herself in irritation as she ran out the door and back around to the parking lot. _She'll like this. Max's might be a little rougher than I remember, but she's also hella cute. She'll get all melty at this. Can't believe I'm doing mushy shit. Fucking Max Caulfield, heh, you cutesy little shit._

* * *

Taking the stairs two at a time, Chloe came running back into the Caulfields' with her shopping bags in hand. Turning her head from side to side as she looked for her little brunette friend, Chloe looked out the balcony to see the faint glow of someone smoking outside. Forcing herself to stop smiling, Chloe ran into the bathroom and ditched her supplies before straightening herself out in the mirror. _Classy as fuck_ , Chloe thought as she smirked at her own reflection. _Eyyyyy_. Taking a deep breath, she headed out of the bathroom and made a beeline for where Max was smoking.

"Yo, Maximus Regina! S'up?" Chloe asked as Max turned around to lean her back against the railing with a joint in her mouth. "Dude, you blaze more than me. Damn, Max. Fucking hardcore."

"Heheh," Max chuckled as she blew the smoke over her shoulder before offering the joint to Chloe, "Want a hit, Che?"

"Well. When a Max offers, a Chloe obliges such an offer." Winking, Chloe took a long drag of the dope and blew a couple smoke rings. "So. Bathroom is temporarily closed. Hope you have a strong bladder."

"…What are you up to, Chloe Elizabeth Price?" Max eyed Chloe with a mixture of intrigue and worry, "I'm not going to end up in trouble with my parents, am I? _Am I_?"

"Lighten up, Max!" Chloe said, her excitement only giving Max more pause, "I mean, um, just relax. No, you won't get in trouble. This is going to be hella…I-I think, _hope_ , you'll enjoy this. I'll shout at you when I'm ready, okay?"

Seeing Max nod, her mouth turned upwards in a confused smile, Chloe took a bow while backpedaling into the apartment. Hearing the muffled sound of Max laughing from outside as she turned and ran through the kitchen toward the bathroom, Chloe couldn't care less if she looked ridiculous. _This day started out great and went to shit. Like hell I'm going to let it end all awkward and shit._

"Chloe?"

"Hang on! You were supposed to wait outside, Max. Killin' my effort, dude."

"It started raining, Che. What was I supposed to do, just stand in a downpour?" Max asked only to shriek as the power went out, "Fucking wowsers, agh! Fuck! Chloe. Chloe, at least let me have a towel. I'm wet and cold. _Please_? It's my house you let me in right now I swear I'll-"

 _Click,_ the bathroom door unlocked as Chloe softly asked for Max to close her eyes. Unwilling to let Max in until she was satisfied the brunette's eyes were shut, Chloe wanted her plan to go off with as little a hitch as possible. _Even the weather is on my side. Thank you storms and you're knocking out the power!_

"C'mon, Chloe. I need to dry off and get my flashlight. What the hell are you playing at?" Max asked, stopping with only a foot in the doorway as Chloe finally let her in. "Chloe. Chloe?"

"Come in the rest of the way, lock the door behind you, and _then_ you can open your eyes," Chloe said as she sat on the toilet seat.

"You didn't say Simon Says, Che," Max let out with a snort as her lips stretched into a smile.

"Can you just indulge me?" Chloe asked, her voice pleading enough that Max followed the bluenette's instructions. "Okay, Max. Open your eyes."

"Oh!"

Tea candles set on the sink counter, the toilet's tank, and around the bathtub illuminated the bathroom in a cumulative glow. With incense burning slowly in the sink itself on a wooden stand and a foamy bath prepared, Chloe had moved so that she was standing face to face with Max. Putting her hand to Max's cheek, Chloe smiled as the brunette closed her misty eyes and leaned into Chloe's hand.

"This is too sweet, Chloe. I-I don't deserve this," Max said, eyes still closed as two small, wet trails of dripped down her cheeks.

"Bullshit, Max," Chloe cooed, rubbing her thumb in circular motions on Max's cheek, "I-I want to start making up for my bullshit now. I love you and this is a way of expressing it, dude, so deal. I…I need this too, Max. I need to believe that we can be together. Will you give me this?"

Chloe bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling as Max just rested her head in Chloe's hand. Bringing her own hand up, Max lightly grasped at the blue-nailed fingers and held onto them as she smiled with tears rolling down her face. _I know that she's happy, but I can't help but feel so damn heartbroken over how hella vulnerable she looks right now,_ Chloe thought as she pulled Max into a hug with her free hand. Max nuzzled her face into the crook of Chloe's neck and lightly kissed the bluenette's collarbone before speaking.

"Okay."

"…Yeah?" Chloe couldn't hide her own brief flash of happiness, smiling at Max with such a brightness of spirit that Max looked like she might cry again. "Um, do you need me to leave? So you can get undressed and whatever?"

"…No. You c-can just…just look away, if that's okay," Max's expression looked distant for a moment, capturing the bluenette's interest. Deciding to not press Max when she seemed to be vulnerable, Chloe just nodded and faced the door before opening the medicine cabinet so that the mirror wouldn't give Max away as she stripped.

Chloe's stomach threatened to heave, the punk was so nervous and excited. This was a first for her, showing a side of her that no one had ever seen before. Musing at her collection of poetry that she'd buried under her bed, late night scribbles and napkins from Two Whales marked on with a variety of colorful penmanship, Chloe kept what she felt was the best part of her away from everyone else. _No one gets me, not how I can be. I can be a bore, a drifting soul. My life is wanting, your heart my final goal._

"Che?" Max's voice was barely loud enough to snap Chloe out of her mental dictation, the bluenette having to stop herself from turning around to look at Max, "It's okay. Um, I…I want to show you something. Please, you c-can turn around."

"You sure, dude?" Chloe felt scared, but she couldn't quite understand why.

"I saw your scars. It's only fair you see mine." _No, Max. Oh…oh, no…_ Chloe's heart fell as she instantly understood what Max was saying.

Chloe felt like she was moving through sludge as she turned to look at Max, every inch she gave as she spun around became increasingly difficult. Stopping halfway, Chloe felt her hands shake until two smaller hands took one of her own and pulled around the rest of the way. Max stood before her in nothing but her bra and a pair of boxer shorts, her face blushing hard but refusing to look away. Directing Chloe's eyes with her own, Max gestured toward her legs. Looking down, her head jerking slightly out of fear, Chloe looked and felt her hand come across her mouth at the sight of faded scars along the uppermost part of Max's inner thighs. _Not you too, Max. I'm me. I don't fucking care, not really, but not you too. Fuck. FUCK!_ Chloe lunged forward and wrapped the mostly-naked Max in a tight embrace, her lip quivering as tears streaked down her face before reaching Max's freckled shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Max. I'm so goddamn sorry!" Chloe cried out, sniffling as she tried to keep herself under control, "T-This is all m-my fault!"

"Hey, Che. _Hey_ ," Max cooed into Chloe's ear, her hand running though Chloe's blue hair, "It's not your fault, baby. I-I…I did this. I…I just wanted to share this with you, like I saw yours. Um, sorry if I upset you. It's just…you've been in so much pain for so long that I wanted you to know that you weren't alone. You never will be again, either."

Lifting her head from where it rested over Max's shoulder, Chloe kept her head tilted down as she met Max's lips before they crashed into one another. The kiss was more desperate than passionate, but the love within the connection was more powerful than all their previous kisses combined. The beauty in their shared sadness and grief overwhelmed Chloe. For the first time in four years, the blue-haired girl felt what she perceived as genuine love from someone whom she loved with equal feeling. _No give, no take. Just you, Max, and the world before us. Together, we can make the world bow._

"Agh, quit it! Fucking nerdy-ass brat, I'll splash you back!" Chloe squealed as Max tried to throw bath suds at her. The brunette covered up to her neck in bubbles and steaming water, Chloe sat along the bathtub as she washed Max's hair. Both girls lit up with joints, Max placed hers between two fingers and blew out a smoke ring before purring in contentment from Chloe running her fingers through the brunette's hair. "That feel good, huh? Well, fuck yeah it should. I'm a hardcore pro."

"So you've done this before, then?" Max asked, a sheepish tone in her voice, "I'm not a special little flower?"

"Dude, you're a-fucking-mazeballs. I love you, Max," Chloe leaned down, her hands still in Max's hair, as she went in for a kiss. Meeting Max's lips, the bluenette's eyes widened momentarily as her friend parted both their lips and shotgunned the smoke she'd been holding back into Chloe's mouth. "Like I said, you're fucking amazeballs."

"And you're such a sap, Che," Max teased, meeting Chloe's pout with a sly grin, "Oh _stop_. You know I mean that in the most loving way possible, dork. This…this is all just so…so…"

"Mushy?"

"Romantic as fuck. This is wonderful, Che. Really."

Chloe eyed Max with a questioning look on her face before nodding as she accepted Max's compliment. Pulling her hands away to wipe the shampoo off on a towel, Chloe laughed as Max lowered herself all the way into the tub with the exception of an outstretched arm holding her half-smoked doobie. Seeing bubbles pop up to what was visible of the water's surface, Chloe smirked as she pictured Max intentionally blowing bubbles while submerged.

"Get up, you nerd!" Chloe teased as wet chestnut hair and two eyes peered from just above the water's surface, "If you don't I'll snatch that joint and smoke both myself. I'll do it, you little hippie!" Chloe couldn't help but giggle as Max replied by blowing more bubbles before sitting back up.

"Wowsers, _fine_. Honest to Dog, you're killing my buzz, Price. Who knew such a 'hardcore punk' would be such a party-pooper?"

"Oh, eat a dick, Caulfield. Go back to Tumblr and be your little indie-emo self."

Chloe didn't know what she said, but grew concerned as Max sat in the warm water in silence. A pensive look on the brunette's face, Chloe began to fidget until Max spoke up.

"Have you…ever dated a guy, Chloe?" Max asked, taking Chloe by surprise with the directness of her questioning, "I guess I mean, uh, m-more than date…? Ugh, never mind. I don't want to know."

"Wow, Max. Pretty straightforward for a shy, cliché geek." Chloe's amused tone was snuffed out, however, as she saw Max bite her lip in thought. _She's serious. Uh, wow. This is one talk I never thought would come up._ "I…experimented with guys. Mom calls it my 'bad boy phase'. Never took, though; not down with the dickness. But, uh, yeah. I was with a guy. _Once_. What about you?"

Max shook her head as the pensiveness on her face remained in-place.

"I…crap, it's hard to describe. Um, lemme dry off and I'll show you," Max said, Chloe blushing hard as Max quickly rose to her feet in the tub. "Aww, _now_ who's shy and cliché?"

"Shaddup…big meanie," Chloe grumbled as she thrust a towel out for Max. "Big buttinsky."

Garnering a snicker from Max as the littler girl wrapped herself up before stepping out of the tub, Chloe followed Max into her bedroom. Chloe went to flop down on Max's bed as the brunette padded into her walk-in closet and closed the door. _Ooh, will there be kinky? Eheh, kinky Max. That…that just seems fucking ridiculous_ , Chloe thought as she smirked up at the ceiling and took one final drag from her dope before snuffing it out on the sole of her boot. Tossing the burnt doobie in Max's trash can, Chloe looked up to see Max come out sporting a tank-top and boy shorts with her damp hair tied back into a small ponytail. Chloe was going to join Max as she headed toward the desk; Max gestured for the bluenette to stay seated as she brought the laptop over with her and sat cross-legged next to Chloe.

"Here." Chloe took the proffered laptop and scanned the folder marked _AP – Gender Studies/Psych_ that Max had opened. "It was _supposed_ to be an exercise on identity of self, but it turned into a crap-ton of small papers."

"…'A Study of Me: I am demisexual by Max Caulfield'…'Aberrant Psychology in an Anti-Social World'…wow, Max. You're a fucking professor or some shit. What…what's demisexual…?" Chloe asked handing back the laptop only to have it gently kept in her lap.

"It means, Chloe," Max started to say, her words precise and controlled, "I-It means that I only feel… _attracted_ …to someone I have a close emotional bond with. _Sexually_ attracted."

Chloe had to catch the laptop as it slid from her lap, the shock of Max saying anything including "sex" unnerving her. Hearing Max call out in alarm, Chloe barely gripped onto the computer before it would have landed on the hardwood floor. Laughing nervously as she cast an apologetic grimace on her face, Chloe handed the laptop back to Max with shaky hands. _Fuck fuck fuck, why did you say 'sex', Max? Fuck…no, ugh, not fuck. Goddamnit, Chloe, stop thinking of the word…agh!_

"This is part of why I get so…anxious, so depressed," Max continued, attributing Chloe's fumbling of the laptop to clumsiness. Chloe was thankful for the error in the brunette's judgement, "You have this identity, y'know, something that isn't within a confine that most people can relate to. Your parents don't understand it; they accept it, but don't understand it. Your 'friends' can sometimes be even worse; that's one of the reasons I have so few. It…it just weighs on you after a while, and the weight gets to be too much. Combine that with, well, how I feel about you and everything that's gone on between us or lack thereof, and you have damaged lil ol' me."

"Holy crap." Chloe's simple response was compensated by the astonishment that showed on her face, Max watching her eagerly to see if the bluenette had anything else to say. "That was like _so_ much more than I expected. I figured like a textbook answer, not a fucking revelation."

"Sorry if it was too much-" Max's hurt tone got Chloe to cut the brunette off.

"No, it's not that. It's…it isn't that, Max. You're just…wow. You're 'Wowsers', eheh. How long have you been like…like this?"

"How long have you been gay?" the bluntness of Max's question caught Chloe off-guard once more. _Jesus fuck, she's like a fucking boxer and I'm the heavy bag. One-two, eh?_

"Since I've been born, I guess? Never was really into guys, like I said."

"That's my answer."

Chloe's eyes darted over to Max, the brunette's curt answer bringing her out the passing shock. _I don't know what else to say. She's…this is just so goddamn much, dude. I want to hold her, but I'm…I'm scared? Why the fuck_ am _I scared? It's just Max; there isn't a 'just Max', though. She's so much more than I realized or thought. This is all just too insane._ _But…she's still Max._

"Wowsers," Max said as she looked at Chloe, putting a hand on the other girl's leg, "I really nailed you, huh? Sorry if it was too much, Che."

"No, it isn't that. I just remember this little nerdy girl," Chloe said, looking over at Max as both girls smiled at each other, "We were hella pirate BFFs, and I never thought that inside that girl could be the woman I'm sitting next to now, dude."

"I'm _still_ a girl, Chloe. I'm only 16."

"Dude. That is totally not what I meant. Besides, you'll be 17 in a couple months." Chloe's smile turned into a teasing scowl as Max's eyes lit up.

"You remembered my birthday?" the pleasant surprise in Max's voice brought Chloe's scowl back into a grin as she bumped her shoulder against Max's.

"Uh, _duh_. How the hell could I forget it, Maxaroni? I only celebrated eight of them with you, nerd." Ruffling Max's hair, Chloe chuckled as Max looked away in embarrassment. " _Dude_ , you look away at that but drop heavy-as-fuck knowledge bombs without batting an eye? 'That girl needs to sort out her priorities'."

"Blue hair and punk-ass clothes? Must be a Chloe," Max shot back with her best Professor Snape impression, "Now turn to page 394."

Both girls fell into the bed, Max's laptop forgotten as it lay on one end with them on the other. Lying on their sides, Chloe smiled as Max giggled. Brushing some of the hair that had escaped Max's ponytail behind the brunette's ear, Chloe felt her chest become warmer as Max's giggles began to falter until there was silence. Chloe gazed at Max as the brunette returned her look, their breathing in sync as the hands that weren't pinned under them reached out with fingers intertwining.

"Hey," Chloe said, her voice hushed as she inched closer towards Max, "Um, are you…I mean, maybe I shouldn't ask…"

"Go ahead, Che. Ask. Whatever it is, I'll listen," Max said, letting go of Chloe's hand to gently tilt the bluenette's head so that they were looking into each other's eyes once more.

"You said that you only felt, ugh, you only felt attracted to people you were emotionally connected to. Like, hella connected. So…I was wondering…"

"Yes." Chloe's eyes widened at Max's answer, thankful and nervous that she hadn't needed to finish her question. "I _am_ attracted to you, Chloe. 'Hella' attracted. But-"

"'But'? No, no but. Anything but, well, 'but'." Chloe pouted, giving Max puppy eyes only to be given a frown in return. "Sorry."

"You have to give me some time, Che. I really want to, _Dog_ do I want to, but I also want to grow into this." At "this", Max squeezed Chloe's hand a little harder, moving in so that her lips were inches away from Chloe's. "That doesn't mean that we can't do…um, other stuff…"

"You are both seductive and awkward as fuck, Maxaroni," Chloe said, unable to restrain a giggle as Max rolled her eyes and began to pull away, "No, don't go. Get over here, nerd. I'm just stoked to be here, dude."

Leaning in, Chloe kissed Max's forehead and worked her way down to the tip of Max's nose before coming to the brunette's lips. Lightly licking her own, Chloe moved into Max's lips cautiously with a single kiss. Testing for a reaction, Chloe held onto the first kiss for a bit before pulling away. Max nodded as Chloe looked at her with focused attention. _The only person besides me is you, Max. Be my angel._ Max leaning forward, Chloe felt the brunette push up against her as she kissed Chloe with matching sweetness. Feeling hands running through her hair as Max held on with a greediness, Chloe leaned up and forward until she was sitting on the smaller girl's stomach.

"What about earlier, though? I know I caused you a lot of fucking trouble-"

"Why are you still talking?" Max cut Chloe off with another kiss as she wound her legs around Chloe's midsection and pulled the taller girl down. Chloe laid on top of Max, pinned by the brunette's legs keeping her down. Getting kiss after kiss, Max coaxing her to kiss back, Chloe's mind was racked in thought over how conflicting the entire day had been.

"Max…I don't want to hurt you," Chloe whispered, a slight whimper in her pained voice.

Chloe imagined the worst possible outcome as Max's kisses stopped and the brunette looked into her eyes with an indecipherable expression. _I wish that I could just get inside your head and let you in mine. This feely shit is hella rough and get too fucking awkward when I try. Ugh, I can't pull this off!_ Chloe felt Max try to wiggle out from under her, so the bluenette obliged by lifting herself out of the bed. Max sat up, propping herself up with an arm as she ran a hand through her bedhead. Chloe began to head towards the hallway when Max called out from her new spot under the covers.

"Close the door, please."

"Uh, sure. I'll just say goodnight now, I guess," Chloe's despondent tone matching her mood. _Once again, I ruined everything. Good fucking job,_ ass _._

"W-What? Chloe, you're not coming back over here?" Chloe looked over her shoulder to see Max patting at a space next to her where she'd pulled the blankets away. "Close the door, lock it, and get your dorky ass in this bed right now, Chloe Elizabeth Price."

Chloe hesitated, unsure of what was going on, before getting a pillow thrown at her by Max. The impact jostling her back to awareness, Chloe grabbed the pillow before walking over to the door to close and lock it. Kicking off her boots, Chloe pulled her jeans and slid into the covers with Max before smacking the brunette with her pillow. Seeing Max smile, Chloe turned around so that she was lying face to face with Max only for Max to grab her by the shirt and tug until she turned around to lie facing away. Feeling Max's arms wrap around her gave Chloe a sense of comfort and amusement as she realized that she had just been relegated to being the little spoon.

"I'm taller than you."

"I know."

"I'm…I'm bigger, dude."

"This is also true."

"So why, _lil_ _Max_ , am I the-"

"Shh just be shhh so shhh," Max replied, cutting Chloe off by lifting a hand up to Chloe's mouth and covering it until the bluenette's mumbling ceased. "Hush, you. Just let me love you."

 _Okay_ , Chloe thought as she leaned her back into the brunette's chest, feeling Max's heartbeat reverberate through her body as the other girl felt Chloe's in reciprocation. Laying her hands over the ones at her waist, Chloe pushed her head into the pillow underneath it a bit more as she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

* * *

Chloe and Max woke up the next morning and both girls refused to get out of bed for nearly an hour before Max clambered over the bluenette and headed into the kitchen. Chloe, getting to stay in bed while Max was out, closed her eyes in contentment. Slowly pulling up the blanket until she was visible only from the eyes up, Chloe apprehensively sniffed and took in the lingering scent of Max's hair from her bath the previous night. _I want to just lay here and not give a fuck about anything outside this room. Some band posters and a little marker graffiti along with what Max already has up would make this place hella cool._ Hearing footsteps coming from the hallway, Chloe buried herself in the blankets until she was only a mound in the bedding.

"You dork," Chloe heard Max say, a cheerfulness in the brunette's voice, "Get your booty out from under there. I bring coffee."

"Coffee and…? Fancy donut-things?" Chloe asked, her voice muffled slightly by the blankets that she was still hiding under.

"No fancy donuts today, Chlo. Besides, I wouldn't get them even if I wanted to. At least, not until you weren't here. I'd like to have more than _one_ , jerk. Come on, Chloe, get up…hey…hey, why are you crying?"

"I don't want to go home, Max," Chloe said as she pulled the covers off of herself, Max's statement of her not being with Max in Seattle having hit the blue-haired punk hard, "Can I just stay here? I'll hide in the closet when your parents come back. Just feed me when everybody's gone."

"I _have_ to take you home, Chloe. We actually need to get going soon because I promised Joyce that I'd have you back in time for dinner. Guess who will be joining you?"

"Staying for eats? What about overnight?" Chloe asked sitting up to take the coffee Max handed her along with a Choux pastry, "I thought you didn't have any."

"You only saw the one bag, dumbass." Max's mischievous grin warmed Chloe up as much as the coffee as she munched on the fruity baked good.

"Max Mischief strikes again, eh? Works for me," Chloe said between bites and sips of coffee before handing the half-empty mug back to Max, "So…when _do_ we have to leave?"

"Probably in about an hour or so. We left Arcadia Bay in the afternoon and made it here in the evening, so if we leave now we could make it in time for nosh with Joyce."

"And stepdouche," Chloe muttered, a dark cloud hanging over her thoughts, "Max. Do I _really_ have to fucking go back?"

"Yeah, you really fucking do. You won't be alone, though; I'm not going to let anyone hurt my Che," Max said, kissing Chloe's sugar-frosted lips before licking her own as she pulled away, "Finally. You actually taste decent."

"Agh, you hella suck!" Chloe made to grab the blanket and pull it over her only for Max to yank the bedding clean off entirely. "Nooo! You suck, you suck, you fucking _suck_!"

"Shower, hygiene stuff, and get dressed, you baby. It's going to be a long fucking day."

Chloe covered her head with a pillow and screamed as Max just looked on in amusement before going into her closet to get dressed. _Fuck…this…shit. We're only just getting shit right, Max. I don't want try long-distance relationship bullshit, it'll be too damn hard! Ugh, what if I need you_ with _me on more than just a computer screen or phone? Max, I_ need _you._ Huffing as she reluctantly pulled the pillow away, Chloe's eyes bulged slightly as she caught a peek of Max changing out of sleep clothes. Quickly snapping her head in any other direction but the closet, Chloe's face reddened as _This isn't fucking_ fair _!_ played on repeat in her head. Grabbing her pillow one last time, Chloe let out an entirely muffled scream before lazily climbing out of Max's bed.

 _The ride back to Arcadia Bay isn't as fun as the ride away from the shit-hole_ , Chloe thought as she moped in the passenger seat of Max's jeep. The sky overcast, Max had left the soft top down and was listening to the playlist Chloe had made for her titled "Riot Grrl". Le Tigre playing on the stereo, Max's hand in her own, Chloe was leaning against the passenger side window as she watched the trees go past. Looking from the corner of her eye, Chloe would catch Max glancing at her every now and then. The face Max would make, however, was different from their last cross-state drive days prior. The excited glee had been replaced with a solemn quiet, countered only by music playing through the jeep's sound system. Pulling her phone out with her free hand, Chloe opened up the messaging app and tapped on the icon for Rachel Amber.

 **Chloe: Ugh**

 **Rachel: Heading home?**

 **Chloe: fuck. also yes.**

 **Chloe: I'm trying not to cry. I don't think Max notices because my beanie is pulled down so fucking low and I'm hiding my eyes with my hair.**

 **Chloe: dude, this is fucking terrible. My chest hurts and I have to bit my lip to not bawl.**

 **Chloe: *bite my lip.**

 **Rachel: That's what happens when you love someone the way you do Max, and when it is met with her love in return**

 **Chloe: Guru Rachel, whatever shall I do?**

 **Rachel: be a smartass all you want but you need to figure that one out.**

 **Rachel: is this a once-in-a-lifetime thing**

 **Rachel: or is it the legit start of something serious**

 **Chloe: I want it to be cereal**

 **Rachel: you want your relationship to be cereal?**

 **Chloe: I meant to say cereal. What? Cereal. Something's off with my…Goddamnit…**

"Max, did you fuck with my phone?" Chloe asked in mild irritation. When she saw Max smile in response, Chloe rolled her eyes and began to type Rachel again.

 **Chloe: Max replaced some of my shortcuts with new words. Little shit. She says cereal instead of cereal**

 **Chloe: Agh, wowsers!**

 **Chloe: Son of a monkey! Daffodil! Okay. What the fuck.**

 **Chloe: Wow. 'What the fuck' works. Heh.**

 **Rachel: You want to take things with Max SERIOUSLY. That it?**

 **Chloe: YES, thank you for figuring it out**

 **Rachel: Oh I knew from the start.**

 **Rachel: Max explained it when we were talking last night**

 **Chloe: fuk u 2 Rach**

 **Rachel: LMAO just talk to your girl, Chlo! Knowing you, you're fucking moping like an emo little shit.**

 **Chloe: I'm not little. Max is hella little.**

 **Rachel: And I'm TALLER THAN YOU SO GO AWAY AND TALK TO HER**

 **Rachel: Baiiiiiii *waves***

Tossing her phone onto the jeep's dash in frustration, Chloe folded her knees against her chest and wrapped her free hand around them. Peering through the windshield over her knees, Chloe thought about all the good and bad of the past weekend. _It wasn't_ really _bad. Just hurt like fucking hell. I didn't know how much I needed Max until I was back with her. Lady's my fucking rock, which makes this suck even more because my rock is going to be in another goddamn state. I swear, something is out to fuck me over. First stepdouche will rail on me, Joyce will look at me all disapprovingly, and then Max will have to head back. An amazeballs weekend that turns into my usual, daily shitastrophe. Gee, thanks world. Go eat a bag of dicks._

"You okay? You've been quiet nearly the whole ride, Che?" Max asked, Chloe feeling the small hand squeeze her own gently. _God, this sucks so much ass! Why can't we just stay together?! Ugh, this is such bullshit! Why does she have to leave?! Why?_

Chloe froze, letting out a sigh as she leaned her head into the passenger seat's headrest. _That bullshit is what led me to push Max away, dipshit. I can't be like that anymore. I promised her I'd try, and if I want her in my life I have to do more than just make empty vows._ Pinching the bridge of her nose, Chloe slowly let her legs back down over the seat as she looked over at Max with red eyes.

"Chloe…" Max said, her tone sorrowful as she saw the slight wetness around the bluenette's eyes, "Don't be sad, babe. I'm not vanishing; I'm just… _ugh_ , this sucks! Why can't we just be together, like _together_ together?"

"Thank you! I needed to hear you say that, it's been on my mind the whole damn ride." Chloe exclaimed, letting out a huff as she shook her head, "This is going to be such a pain, Max."

"I'm a pain, huh?" Max teased, Chloe looking over to speak before Max cut her off entirely, "Relax, Che. I know what you meant. It's going to be really difficult. Really _really_ difficult; I'm willing to put the effort in if you are, swear to Dog. I have to believe we can work this, Che."

"Max, I'm not as fucking self-confident as you are. That shit-pit has been devoid of nearly everyone I love for so long, it might as well be hell. Aside from Rachel…and mom, I guess…there's nothing for me in Arcadia Bay."

"Kerouac once said 'Love is all'," Max said with a thoughtful look on her face, Chloe looking over in puzzlement, "So when you're down and shit's hitting you hard just remember that. Remember I said that."

"Uh, okay. What the fuck does it mean?"

"What is important to you? The _most_ important thing?"

"You, nerd. I'd figured you might realize that one by now. I'm not the type of gal to regularly give someone a candlelit bubble bath and wash their hair, dude."

"Heh. Seriously, Che, when you are going through shit and you can't get to me or anyone else you might need, think of us. Think of this weekend. The good, the…not so good, it's all part of a greater love that we share. So, when shit's rolling your way, 'All is love'."

Chloe looked at Max, her mouth scrunched to one side as she thought about Max's words. She had been so focused on herself that Chloe had forgotten that Max was going to be lonely as well. _Yeah, she's got friends. I've got Rachel. We won't be able to have each other, though. Not in the way we'd like._ Nodding in acceptance of Max's words, Chloe leaned over to kiss Max on the cheek.

"Does this make us a couple?"

"I'm game if you are."

"Hella yes, Max. Hella fucking _yes_."

* * *

The girls watched from the lighthouse hilltop as the sun began to set over Arcadia Bay. Arriving a little early, Chloe had asked Max to stop at their old childhood haunt before heading to Two Whales. Max had called Joyce when they passed Portland and asked if they could have dinner at Two Whales as opposed to Chloe's house. Joyce had sounded a little disappointed, but was willing to accommodate the girls' wish on the condition that Chloe be on her best behavior. Promising Joyce that she would keep Chloe in line, Max had snickered when Chloe flipped her off at the "in line" part of the phone call.

"Max, I'm really glad you answered my stupid-ass text," Chloe said, the girls sitting on the bench in solitude. Chloe kissed Max, sliding her tongue into Max's parted lips to better remember the taste of her girlfriend. She knew it wouldn't be the last kiss tonight or ever, but the moment to Chloe was important. _I need to savor everything this weekend because it's the start of something new. Something incredible. You're incredible, Max._ "I love you, Max."

"I love you right back, Chloe. Dorkiness and all." Max's nose scrunched up, her eyes aglow with happiness. Chloe laughed, both forgetting their imminent separation at they simply took each other in and let the world fade.

Two Whales was surprisingly busy, their typical Sunday evening crowd not even filling the diner to half capacity. Max and Chloe headed inside, hands in their pockets, and found the place to be nearly full and noisier than Chloe had heard it be for some time. Shrugging as she looked over at a slightly overwhelmed Max, Chloe scanned down the row of booths until she irritatingly recognized the military-style haircut of her stepfather and her mom's own blonde hair. Max moved to head down towards Chloe's parents when Chloe put a hand on the brunette's shoulder. Holding her hand out, Chloe looked at Max in earnestness.

"I need you right now, Max. Be with me?" Chloe asked, relief flooding her as Max didn't even hesitate to take Chloe's hand in her own. Walking down to where the married couple was awaiting them, Chloe could hear David grumbling something but rolled her eyes and tried to ignore her loathing for Max's sake. _I don't need to make this hard on her. Just don't make this hard on me, step-ass. If I ever ask you for anything, it is to let tonight not turn into a shitstorm._

"Well well, Max Caulfield," Joyce said warmly as Chloe ushered Max into their booth seat before climbing in herself, "Look at you, getting all grown up. Such a lovely young woman."

"Hi, Joyce. Heh, I think I've grown as tall as I'll ever get," Max said, a shy grin on her face as Chloe watched on in amusement.

"It's okay, Max," Chloe said, wrapping an arm around the brunette's shoulder in cheer, "Good things come in hella small packages, right?"

"David, this is Max. She's an old friend of Chloe's. David?" Joyce said, trying to introduce her husband to Max.

"Hmm." Chloe bit her lip at David's single grunt of acknowledgement as he glanced at the girls over his menu.

"Uh, okay," Max said, her light-hearted tone wavering, "So, Joyce, what have you been up to? Aside from, well, the obvious."

"To be fair, Max, I could ask you the same. Coming down here and snatching up Chloe? I wish you two would have let me know what was going on," Joyce said, holding up a hand as Chloe was about to interrupt, "I was worried, Chloe. I know you don't really care all that much, but _I_ do. You're nowhere to be found and there's a mess left in your wake? Your suitcase is gone and clothes are missing? I thought…I thought you had tried to run away again."

Chloe grimaced when Max looked over at her and mouthed _Again_ before she could say anything. _Shit! Max doesn't need to know every sordid detail of my so fucked life,_ mother _._ Sliding her arm back down, Chloe reached for Max's underneath the table and gripped onto it a little tighter than she had intended. Seeing Max wince, Chloe let up the pressure instantly only to look and see David monitoring the unspoken exchange.

"What?" Chloe asked, her tone as calm as she was able to sound.

"Chloe…" Joyce said in warning.

"I just asked 'What?", mom. Chill," Chloe said, her attention turning back to David.

"You two…you seem awfully tense…" David said, setting his menu down and taking a drink of his coffee, "Something's going on here. Something you're not willing to talk about.

Chloe recoiled, a look of disgust on her face as David leaned over the table a bit and sniffed in her direction. _Dude, what the fuck!?_ nearly burst out of Chloe's lips before she realized with dread that David's natural instinct was to assume she was either drunk, high, or both. _Ohhhhh fuck._ \

"Chloe, you've been drinking. You also smell like a damn weed farm. You been smoking grass…or is it your 'childhood friend' over here?" David asked, her tone one of suspicion and building anger. Chloe only grew more incensed when Joyce tried to calm him down and David chose to ignore her.

"E-Excuse me," Max said quietly, gaining the attention of everyone at the table, "Um, the weed smell is actually me. I-I have a prescription. For my anxiety."

"A likely story. More likely you're a goddamn drug dealer, knowing the people Chloe hangs around with. Like that girl Rachel Amber-"

"Leave Max and Rachel alone, _David_ ," Chloe snapped, being held in her seat only by Max's grip on her hand, "Max _does_ have a prescription for it. You haven't seen how she gets so leave her the hell alone."

"Both of you, please… _please_ , can we just have one dinner in peace?" Joyce asked, a hand to her forehead as she closed her eyes in exasperation.

"Here, Mr. Madsen. See for yourself," Max said, pulling out her wallet to show Chloe's parents her MMJ card. "I-I get really bad attacks and they prescribed me a low dosage amount of cannabis to keep myself calmed down."

David looked down at the laminated card and slid it back to Max, looking away as both Price women shot him looks of aggravation. Getting up from the booth, David put his jacket on and walked out of the diner without saying a word to any of them before leaving. Chloe felt the tension in her lift and felt Max squeeze her hand affectionately as the brunette flashed her a smile. _Thanks for saving my ass_ , Chloe mouthed before blushing as Max blew her a kiss in reply. Hearing someone cough, both Max and Chloe slowly turned their heads to see Joyce eyeing them with an indecipherable look on her face.

"There somethin' you two want to tell me, aside from you _both_ smoking and drinking? I see that you have a prescription for… _that_ , Max, but Chloe has enough trouble with David as it is. Letting her go wild while you're in Seattle isn't going to help because she's going to be right back here," Joyce chided.

"We didn't go 'wild', Joyce," Max said with a giggle, Chloe joining her at the idea of the two of them swinging from trees like Tarzan, "U-Uh, yeah, we smoked. We had a few drinks, too, but we never left my house after. We actually spent only one of the days out and about; I took her to some touristy stuff and also where I work and hang out."

Chloe watched her mom ease up at Max's mentioning of her job before wincing as Joyce then looked pointedly at her for second before returning her attention to Max. _I know, I know! If you want me to work, then let me ditch school. If you want me to take school seriously, though, then_ please _quit smacking me in the face with threats of kicking me out unless I get a job._

"What do you do, Max?" Joyce asked, her tone softening as curiosity took hold.

"I'm actually a waitress, too." Max and Joyce chuckled as Chloe felt her anxiety fluctuate. _Max, did you get high sometime when I was paying attention? How the fuck are you calm? I feel like I might scream. Or cry. Cry while screaming, like tears of hella rage._ "I _am_ sorry for causing you to worry, Joyce. Chloe sent me a text and, well, I couldn't wait to see her."

"About that-" Joyce started to say.

" _We're gay and dating_!" Chloe blurted out, Joyce paused with her mouth open as she was cut off by the bluenette's outburst. Looking over at Max, the brunette's wide eyes spelled out how loud Chloe had been when she revealed their relationship. _Uh…oops!_

"I figured as much," Joyce said, both girls again looking over at her in unison, "Oh, please. You two were peas in a pod since grade school. How else could a mother interpret things when her daughter blows up at the one girl she hardly ever let go of for 8 years?"

"Well…" Chloe started to say as scratched at the back of her beanie with a nervous look on her face.

"Uhh…" Max looked away, still embarrassed from Chloe's outburst as she made Chloe wince with her own iron grip on Chloe's hand.

"You two. You're pretty damn cute when you're not being little pains in my ass," Joyce said with a dry chuckle as she slid David's menu over to them, "How about you decide what you're going to eat, and we'll just go from there?"

"Wowsers," Chloe said in a quiet voice as she looked down at her lap.

"This is so hella embarrassing," Max replied, looking down at her own lap before slowly taking the menu Joyce had offered them, "I…I think I'd like a Belgian waffle…"

Pulling up to the curb in front of the Price house, Max switched the engine off as Chloe and Joyce piled out of the jeep. Grabbing her suitcase from the back, Chloe pulled it along behind her with Max in tow. The rest of the dinner had gone far better than she had hoped for; Chloe hadn't even come out to her mother yet. Doing so with the girl who was her childhood best friend _and_ girlfriend, Chloe had gone a long way to easing Joyce into this new outlook on her daughter's life. _Thank God I love you so damn much, Max. Heh, if it had been Rachel mom_ and _David would have flipped their shit. Joyce liked Rachel, but I think too much stoner does not a happy mother make. At least, non-prescribed stoner. I can't wait for Max to meet Rachel; that'll be so fucking epic._

"Chloe? You gonna just stand in the doorway or are you going to let me in?" Max asked, peeking around the taller girl's arm to poke her in the side, " _Move_ , dork."

"Agh!" Chloe cried out, jumping as Max poking her brought the bluenette back from her thoughts.

As Chloe set the suitcase next to the stairs, Joyce came back to the door and brought Max a thermos of coffee and a hastily prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Looking first at her mom and then at Max, Chloe's eyes widened as she realized that Max was heading back to Seattle.

"You're leaving _now_?" Chloe asked, her voice shaky as she leaned against the staircase's railing for support, "Max…"

"If she doesn't leave now, she'll likely have to stay the night and I don't think _either_ of you want that right now," Joyce said, looking at both girls apologetically, "David can be…hardheaded, but he does _try_ to mean well. Next time you want to come down, Max, don't worry – you'll have a place here waiting for you."

"Thanks, Joyce. It was really nice to see you again," Max said as she gave Joyce a hug before setting the paper bag and thermos next to the doorway. Joyce smiled at her one more time before giving the girls their privacy. "Walk me to my car, Che?"

"Yeah," Chloe's head was downcast, her tone depressed, as the finality of the weekend drew up around her. Max was going to Seattle, and Chloe was staying behind in Arcadia Bay. Again.

The girls took as much time as they could in crossing the front yard, Chloe doing everything in her power to not cry as Max bit at her own lip with the same intent. Holding hands with Chloe carrying the goods Joyce had prepared, Max opened her driver's side door and took the road supplies from Chloe before setting them in the passenger seat. _I've been replaced with coffee and a fucking sandwich_. Chloe couldn't help her bitterness.

"It's such bullshit," Chloe blurted out, tears falling down her cheeks, "Y-You're leaving me again."

"But I'm _not_ staying away, Che," Max said, her voice stern despite the fact that she was also crying, "And I will _not_ let you push me away. You got that? Despite the distance, despite whatever bullshit we come across, you're not getting rid of me, Chloe Price. Do you understand me?"

The seriousness in Max's tone, combined with the earnest love in the brunette's eyes, drew Chloe out of her own duress. Hand shaking, Chloe cupped Max's cheek and gave the girl a weak smile.

"I'm just going to hella miss you, Max. You're my rock, so hardcore for so small a lady."

Max stood on her tip-toes and wrapped her arms around Chloe's shoulders, kissing her girlfriend. Chloe felt the warmth of Max's lips mix with the salt of their tears as they held onto each other until both needed to breathe. Taking in a gulp of air, both girls crashed their lips back into one another again, lips and tongues colliding in repetition. Chloe moaned as Max slid one hand down from her shoulder to hip and felt the brunette's fingers brush slightly against the bare skin of her side before Max pulled away.

"I-If I don't leave now, I don't think I'll ever be able to go," Max confessed, putting a hand to her face as she wiped her tears away, "I'll text you when I get home okay? We'll go from there. I love you, Chloe. I love you, I love you, I love you."

"I love you, too. Please come back."

"I hella will. Who am I to deny Chloe Price?"

Chloe snorted at Max's last sentence, nodding in slight amusement before turning crestfallen as Max climbed into her jeep and started the engine. Rolling her window down, Max leaned out for one last kiss. Soft, loving, and filled with longing, the kiss went to fast for Chloe before she reluctantly pulled back. Waving with a sad smile on her face, Max put the jeep into gear and drove down the street with Chloe watching her go as the blunette screamed " _I FUCKING LOVE YOU, MAX CAULFIELD!"_ and got a honk from Max in reply before the jeep disappeared around the corner with the love of Chloe's life inside.

"I love you." Chloe's final admission was quiet, intimate unto herself as she slumped her shoulders and pulled out a cigarette. Sitting on the curb as she blew a smoke ring, she looked over her shoulder at her house for a moment before lying back on the grass and sidewalk. "Love is all, Max. Love is all."

* * *

 **Epilogue**

Max ran up the stairs and through the hallway without saying a word to her alarmed parents. Max figured they weren't surprised in the least; Max had been awaiting this day for months and the time had finally come. _It's not like I haven't seen her_ , Max thought as she started up her computer and quickly took off the shirt she'd worn at work. The first couple weeks without Chloe had been the hardest for Max, her parents coming back and mother convincing her father that their daughter needed to be grounded to "think about what she had done". _I saved myself, Mom. Maybe someday you'll realize that and regret being such a jerk so much._

Max looked over at her photos as she pulled her pink Jane Doe tank-top on and slipped out of her dress pants and into a pair of jean shorts and knee high socks. Kristen and Fernando were the only real friends she had left in Seattle. She knew a lot of people, but ever since she had left the Washington public school system for the Washington Virtual Academy program she'd had little contact with any of her old classmates. It made Max lonely at times, not having a class to go to in-person or people to hang around outside of a school building, but the slight increase in freedom that came with her virtual homeschool outweighed her distress. Especially today.

Max had poured over her laptop all week, doing assignment after assignment until she was not only caught up but ahead by a few days. Relishing the peace of no classwork yesterday, Max had smoked nearly a bowl of her private stash in a celebration to herself. Seeing the computer's desktop pop up on the screen, Max nearly tripped over her own feet she went running the short distance from her bed to her desk. Clicking on the messaging application icon, Max was bouncing in her seat.

"Come on! Stupid fucking computer!" Max said, slamming the palms of her small hands on the top of her desk.

"Max?" Max's father asked, knocking on the door, "Honey, you okay?"

"Anxious! Anxious and _waiting_! Don't laugh, Dad. I''s not funny." Max blew a raspberry out at her chuckling father as he came over to give his daughter a kiss on the top of her head.

"Calm down, Maximillian," Alex Caulfield said, patting his daughter on her shoulder, "She'll still be there if-"

"Max?" a familiar voice called out from the computer's speakers, silencing Mr. Caulfield before he backpedaled and left his daughter alone with her girlfriend.

" _Chlo-eeee_!" Max shrieked as she leaned over and kissed the part of the screen where Chloe's lips were displayed. "Oh my Dog, I don't think I can calm down. _Oh_ , wowsers, I can't fucking sit still…"

"Chill, Maximus, just chill. Knowest that soon, thou shalt not only be in my heart but in my bed." Chloe's dramatic tone and bad English accent got a snort from Max and the other girl in Chloe's room. "Rachel says 'ello, by the way."

"I can say it myself, dingus!" a voice shouted out before Chloe was shoved out of the way and Max's computer screen was filled with the brightly smiling face of Rachel Amber. " _Max_! Get your ass down here and save us from the monotonous bullshit of Black-Hell A-crap-emy!"

Max busted up laughing as Chloe's blue-nailed hand pushed at the side of Rachel's face, a final "See you soon!" coming from her newest friend until Chloe was back in the picture.

"Is _everyone_ a dork in Blackwell?"

"It's Black- _Hell_ , nerd. You're gonna have to learn these things, Max, if you wanna throw down with the elitist shits here," Chloe said, looking at her door as though someone might barrel through it at any given moment.

"I still can't believe that David convinced your mom that you spending your final year there as a dorm student was a good idea. You still mad?" Max asked, her smile turning into a serious look.

"I'm getting over it, bit by bit. I'm just glad students are admitted in a couple weeks before classes to adjust and shit. I don't think I could have made it through classes if I was _just_ moving into this tiny-ass place," Chloe said, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed lovingly at Max. "I love you, Max. I really wish you were here _now._ Like time _meow_."

"Watching _Super Troopers_ with me through Skype was such a terrible idea," Max chided, giggling as Rachel cried out "Bullshit, it was awesome!" off-screen.

"So what are you gonna be up for, visiting such a bustling metropolis like Arcadia Bay? We have nothing, oh and there's a new nothing setting up shop right next to the historical nothing in Nothing Square," Chloe asked, laughing at her own joke with Rachel peeking around so that Max could see her eyes rolling.

"There's got to be _some_ stuff to do," Max said, her tone amused as she smiled at Chloe, "You're such a dork. How is it that I put up with your shit? I wonder sometimes, swear to _Dog_."

"Because you _love_ me. You want to _kiss_ me, you want to-"

"Chloe!" Max snapped in embarrassed shock, cutting off a laughing Chloe before giving her girlfriend a mischievous grin as she brushed some of her chestnut hair out of her face. "I've got some surprises for _you_ when I get down there, so you better watch your ass. You ready for Round 2, Che?"

"Bring it, hippie!"

"Consider en-route to being _brought_."

 **Author's Note**

 **Well, how about that. I did a thing.**

 **You Cinnamon Rolls get an extra-size chapter to close this story out because amazeballs and hella hella hella! I honestly have little to say in regards to ending Teenage Dirtbag because I feel really happy about the ending. Have yet to feel so enthusiastic about any of my stories ending as I do right now. Yay me, I guess.**

" **But Rowan! You ended it with it sounding like there's more to come?!"**

 _ **BECAUSE THERE IS, NERDS**_ **!**

 **The epilogue takes place the Thursday before what in the United States is called the Labor Day weekend. The first Monday of each September is a national holiday and some schools will also let students out the Friday before so they get a four day weekend. Hence, Max is bouncing with joy because she's going to be going down and spending the long weekend with Chloe.**

 **How 'bout dat Rachel Amber? Squad goals.**

 **Who else will show up?**

 **How will Icky Vicky react to seeing Max in Arcadia Bay, freshly made a member of the Vortex Club?**

 **How will the Trifecta Squad (Max, Chloe, Rachel) befriend a certain Cinnamon Roll who is too precious for this world, too pure? BECAUSE THEY WILL.**

 **Find out in** _ **Wake Me Up When September Ends**_ **is released on Friday!**

 **Part One –** _ **We are Sex Bob-Omb**_

 _ **ONE TWO THREE FOUR!**_

 **Read, review, and I'll see you on Friday! I'm fucking loving writing this new perspective and I hope you love it, too!**

 **Stay hella, Cinnamon Rolls!**


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